Court Opinion

ID: 9551758
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 18:58:39.805706+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:24:30.405497
License: Public Domain

MOSK, J.
I concur.
However, I find it difficult to follow the opinion in its discussion of the dirk or dagger. Purporting to rely upon People v. Forrest (1967) 67 Cal.2d 478 [62 Cal.Rptr. 766, 432 P.2d 374], the majority conclude that “it is a question of fact for the jury to determine whether the instant knife is a ‘dirk or dagger.’ ” Yet in Forrest the court majority held the object involved was not a dirk or dagger as a matter of law. (Id. at p. 480.) In my dissent in that case I insisted the absence of a mathematically precise statutory definition of a dirk or dagger requires that the nature of the instrument be determined by the trier of fact. I noted that “the Legislature was unwilling or unable to predict developing refinements in the macabre art of weaponry. It sought, by the use of generic terms, to proscribe weapons ‘common to the criminal’s arsenal,’ and left to the trier of fact to ascertain whether a seized object comes within the category of contraband.” (Id. at p. 482.)
While it is of some comfort that the majority have finally agreed this problem is merely factual, they should aid trial courts by clearing up the confusion resulting from previous error and forthrightly overrule Forrest.