Brass knuckles ban introduced again in Arizona. What has changed from 2024
A bill that aims to ban brass knuckles for minors was introduced in the Legislature after a similar proposal failed to pass last year.
Senate Bill 1290, sponsored by Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, would make it a Class 3 misdemeanor if a minor "intentionally or knowingly" purchases or possesses the weapon. Brass knuckles are metal fittings that go around the fingers and amplify the force of a punch.
In 2024, Kavanagh sponsored a bill that would have banned the weapon in Arizona. He said at the time that he was pushing for the legislation after hearing about group attacks in the East Valley where brass knuckles were used.
A December 2023 investigation by The Arizona Republic found the "Gilbert Goons" had engaged in a string of attacks on other teens in the East Valley, unchecked by authorities, for more than a year. Brass knuckles were used in some attacks, according to interviews and police records. The investigation first tied the Goons to the fatal beating of Preston Lord, 16, at a Halloween party in Queen Creek.
Connor Jarnagan was one of the people who was attacked with the weapon in a December 2022 Goons attack in Gilbert and helped push for Kavanagh's bill. But there was opposition from some legislators concerned about restricting methods of self-defense, Kavanagh said.
Arizona is one of 12 states where brass knuckles are legal. In 17 more states, the weapon is legal with a permit. Some Arizona cities prohibit the possession of brass knuckles. Phoenix's city code makes it illegal to carry brass or any other metal "knuckles."
After the Goons fallout, elected officials in East Valley communities voted on brass knuckles bans. Chandler and Gilbert banned the weapon for minors and Tempe prohibited possession of them for minors and adults.
Kavanagh's bill was not the only legislative proposal introduced this year as a response to teen violence in the East Valley.
"Preston's Law" was introduced by Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, to criminalize group attacks. House Bill 2611 would characterize an assault as an aggravated assault if the assailant was "aided by two or more accomplices" who were present for the attack. The bill has passed the House.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell was a proponent of Preston's Law, which would allow prosecutors to charge attackers in group assaults in a way that would prevent their charges from being classified as misdemeanors.
Many of the people charged in Goons beatings faced Class 6 felonies, which is the least serious type in Arizona and can be turned into a misdemeanor. The crime created by Preston's Law would be a Class 4 felony, which cannot be converted into a misdemeanor.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Brass knuckles ban introduced again. What has changed from last year?
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