Wright v. New Jersey

469 U.S. 1146

105 S.Ct. 890

83 L.Ed.2d 906

Charles WRIGHT

v.

NEW JERSEY

No. 84-5060

Supreme Court of the United States

January 14, 1985

The appeal is dismissed for want of a substantial federal question.

1

The appellant Charles Wright was convicted of possessing an "exacto" knife. Under New Jersey law, possession of this sort of object is entirely legal in most circumstances; possession becomes unlawful only "under circumstances not manifestly appropriate for such lawful uses as it may have." N.J.Stat.Ann. § 2C:39-5d (West 1982) (emphasis added).1 As construed by the state courts, although this statute…