Michigan court affirms ban on brass knuckles, says right to bear arms doesn't fit
DETROIT (AP) — A court says there is no constitutional right to possess brass knuckles in Michigan, a weapon typically associated with violent ambushes in dark alleys and banned in nearly two dozen states.
The Michigan Court of Appeals, in an 18-page opinion, declined to interfere with a 1931 law that carries a five-year prison term for simply having brass knuckles, also known as metallic knuckles.
A 'ban on the possession of metallic knuckles falls within the historical tradition of prohibiting the concealed carry of metallic knuckles as a dangerous and unusual weapon,' Judge Christopher Murray wrote in a 3-0 opinion Tuesday.
Brass knuckles are usually a single set of rings that fits on someone's hand. A punch can inflict serious injuries.
'If you ask everybody out here, probably they'd all say brass knuckles are used by the gangs and the thugs who want to go make a point. The history and tradition of the use is not a glamorous one,' Murray said during arguments in November.
Lawyers for a Grand Rapids-area man argued that Michigan's ban violated the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment right to bear arms.
Attorney Ryan Keast told the court opinions have changed over the years about what constitutes a dangerous and unusual weapon. He noted that brass knuckles can be purchased online and are an 'excellent self-defense weapon.'
Nearly two dozen states have similar bans and 17 others regulate the possession of brass knuckles, according to a summary filed with the court.
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2 hours ago
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In another outburst in March, a judge repeatedly pressed Joseph Badio, the former Ministry of Justice official who spent two years on the run, about his call to former Prime Minister Ariel Henry after the assassination. At the time, Henry had only been nominated as prime minister by Moïse. 'You can say whatever you want with your mouth,' Badio told the judge, who ordered him to sit as he rose while speaking. 'There is no prohibition for me to communicate with anyone I want.' The tension has carried over into interrogations of the Colombian suspects, who maintain they were hired by a Miami-based security firm to provide security for power and water treatment plants and diplomatic officials, as well as train Haitian police and soldiers. The Colombians have denied involvement, while their attorney, Nathalie Delisca, said there has been no presumption of innocence during the interrogations. 'The treatment inflicted on the detainees was inhumane,' she said, alleging mistreatment by authorities after their arrest. The former soldiers said they were beaten, threatened with death, forced to sign documents in a language they don't understand and barred from communicating with their lawyers and families for long stretches. 'I have been subjected to degrading treatment. I have been subjected to physical and psychological torture,' Jheyner Alberto Carmona Flores said during a recent hearing. He spoke Spanish in a clear and loud voice, sometimes correcting an interpreter translating his testimony into French. 'I have no involvement because I don't know when or where the president was assassinated,' Carmona Flores said, claiming he was summoned to provide security at the perimeter of Moïse's house and did not know the president had been fatally shot. Working under threat While the case in Haiti has stalled, the U.S. has charged 11 extradited suspects , with five already pleading guilty to conspiring to kill Moïse. Five other suspects are awaiting trial, which is now scheduled for March 2026. They include Anthony 'Tony' Intriago, owner of Miami-based CTU Security, and Haitian-Americans James Solages , a key suspect, and Christian Emmanuel Sanon , a pastor, doctor and failed businessman who envisioned himself as Haiti's new leader. Moïse's widow, Martine Moïse , is expected to testify in the U.S. case. She was injured in the attack and accused by a Haitian judge of complicity and criminal association, which her attorneys deny. Court documents say the plan was to detain Jovenel Moïse and whisk him away, but changed after the suspects failed to find a plane or sufficient weapons. A day before Moïse died, Solages falsely told other suspects it was a CIA operation and the mission was to kill the president, the documents allege. Bruner Ulysse, a lawyer and history professor in Haiti, lamented how the local investigation has highlighted what he called 'profound challenges' in Haiti's judicial system. 'While international efforts have yielded some results, the quest for justice in Haiti remains elusive,' Ulysse said. 'Judges, prosecutors and lawyers operate under constant threat.' ___ Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
