by We were watching the CBS Evening News last night when a story came on about Dr. Larry Nassar being stabbed in Federal prison in Florida. Nassar is the disgusting excuse for a medical professional who sexually preyed upon US gymnasts for years until finally brought to justice.
I sincerely doubt Nassar’s attacker obtained a professionally made knife from Amazon. More than likely it was made from an eating utensil, toothbrush, or stolen tool that could be sharpened. Of course, mere possession of such an item is the 4th most severe infraction in this prison according to their handbook.
Here is an example of such a personally made weapon made from a toothbrush. It was confiscated from a prisoner in California.
Given the gun control industry has deemed any personally made firearm a “ghost gun” (sic), then by logical extension the weapon used to stab Larry Nassar must be a “ghost knife”. It had no serial number and it has no markings indicating its manufacturer other than perhaps Oral-B or Colgate.
OMG! It is untraceable.
If the whole concept of a prison shiv or shank being called a “ghost knife” seems ludicrous, so, too is the media hysteria over personally made firearms aka “ghost guns” (sic) and their traceability. When the BATFE runs a trace on a firearm found at a crime scene, they first go the the manufacturer, then to the distributor, thence to the dealer, and finally to the original purchaser. Only very rarely is the original purchaser the one who commits the crime. Much more likely is that the firearm was stolen and has changed hands multiple times after that. Given the national average of “time to crime” or time from purchase until recovered at a crime scene is 6.24 years according to the BATFE, you can just imagine how many times a firearm could have changed hands whether legally or illegally.
So the next time you hear someone pontificating about “ghost guns” (sic) ask them what should be done about “ghost knives”.
Having worked for the SO, ANY semi-rigid item can be made into a shank… sigh
More important is the “ghost perpetrator”.
Murder, rape, and robbery are already illegal, so who would do that?
Mens Rea is what counts, and crystal balls are in short supply.
Given that certain individuals are in the business of “renting” guns, with payment often preferred in drugs, guns can change hands uncountable times. And often the customer is known only by his street name.
As Old NFO said, in jail or prison, nearly anything can be made into a weapon.
Criminals are smart in the way wolves and coyotes are. I’ve always said that if criminals would turn their ingenuity to legal pursuits, they’d make more money than they do committing crimes.