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The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court issued a decision on Tuesday ruling that a ban on carrying a switchblade knife violates the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment.
Since 1957, a state law has prohibited carrying spring-release knives in Massachusetts. The rule prohibited the possession of “a switch knife, or any knife having an automatic spring release device by which the blade is released from the handle,” with the punishment of up to five years in prison for violating the law.
Tuesday’s ruling stemmed from the 2020 arrest of David E. Canjura. According to the SJC, he was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon when police searched him in response to a call for an altercation between him and his girlfriend and they found an “orange firearm-shaped knife with a spring-assisted blade.” Canjura challenged the constitutionality of the charge against him, arguing the blade was an “arm” and his right to carry for self-defense under the Second Amendment.
In their Tuesday decision, the state’s high court cited two rulings on the Second Amendment by the U.S. Supreme Court, known as Bruen and Heller.
While both rulings were related to guns, The Boston Globe reports that the Supreme Court decisions have resulted in lower courts across the country needing to determine whether present-day laws prohibiting certain weapons would have existed when the Second Amendment was adopted in 1791.
In the Tuesday decision, Justice Serge Georges Jr. wrote that Americans carried small knives, including folding pocketknives, for self-defense, hunting, and trapping in the 17th and 18th centuries.
“Folding pocketknives not only fit within contemporaneous dictionary definitions of arms — which would encompass a broader category of knives that today includes switchblades — but they also were commonly possessed by lawabiding citizens for lawful purposes around the time of the founding,” he wrote. “Setting aside any question whether switchblades are in common use today for lawful purposes, we conclude switchblades are ‘arms’ for Second Amendment purposes. Therefore, the carrying of switchblades is presumptively protected by the plain text of the Second Amendment.”
A request for comment from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office, which was prosecuting Canjura, was not immediately returned.
In a filing with the SJC, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin R. Hayden pointed to 19th century rulings in other states that listed Bowie knives, dirks, and brass knuckles as dangerous “to the peace and safety of citizens,” according to the Globe.
But in its decision, the SJC disagreed, arguing those mentions were focused on different kinds of bladed weapons, not specifically pocket knives or switchblades.
According to the SJC, Massachusetts was only one of seven states along with the District of Columbia with a full ban on switchblades. Two other states, like Massachusetts, have restrictions on knives based on the blade length.
“From these facts, we can reasonably infer that switchblades are weapons in common use today by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes,” the decision reads.
According to the Globe, the SJC also cited Bruen last year when it overturned a conviction for illegal gun possession in a 2019 case.
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Find the full scoreboard here, along with everything we wrote Friday night:
Not seeing your team’s highlights in Takeaways? Here are all the ways to submit scores and stats to Globe Schools via phone, email, and social media.
▪ Cathedral senior Keyona Raines scored 15 points, including the 1,000th of her career, as the No. 5 Panthers handled No. 28 Hudson, 60-43, in the first round of the Division 4 girls’ basketball tournament.
▪ Sutton junior captain Ava Carroll netted her 1,000th career point during a 29-point effort in a 49-31 Division 4 first-round win over Easthampton.
FINAL: Sutton 49, Easthampton 31
Junior captain Ava Carroll records a game-high 22 points (including her 1,000th career point) as Sutton secured a Division 4 MIAA tournament Round of 32 win.
Business is Boomin’ for the Suzies. pic.twitter.com/vjRnzu2eLA
— Tommy Cassell (@tommycassell44) February 28, 2026
▪ With a layup in the waning seconds of the first half, Anna Freeman became the 10th Medway player, and first since Riley Childs in 2018, to score 1,000 career points. She finished the 55-24 Division 3 first-round win over St. Paul with 17. Her father, Matt Freeman, scored 1,000 points at Bishop Feehan.
▪ Burlington boys’ basketball senior Matty Gray reached 1,000 career points during a 25-point performance in a 95-58 Division 2 first-round rout of Holliston. He reached the mark on a first-quarter layup.
Now for Matty Gray! Scores his 1000th point and no surprise on a steal! Just does it all. Such a special player and person. Humble, hard-working, kind, and tough. Lucky to coach him! A kid who certainly could have left, but chose to put his town across his chest and he’s…🧵 pic.twitter.com/UXFsEuZH6R
— BurlingtonBasketball (@Burlingtonhoop) February 28, 2026
▪ Falmouth boys’ hockey senior Kody Pokraka rode two assists to 100 career points during a 5-4 Division 2 first-round win over Plymouth South.
It was a chalky day, with only one significant upset: No. 22 Greater Lawrence girls’ basketball easily handling No. 11 Hamilton-Wenham, 65-45, in the Division 4 first round thanks to 13 3-pointers as a team and a combined 47 points from Serenity West (24) and Maliah Caban (23).
The only other lower seeds to win were No. 18 Marshfield boys’ basketball, which took out No. 15 Cambridge, 66-63, in overtime in the Division 1 first round, and No. 34 Arlington Catholic boys’ basketball, which survived No. 31 Duxbury, 64-60, in Division 2 preliminary-round action.
The finish of the night came in No. 17 South Hadley’s 61-60 win over No. 16 Madison Park. Trailing 60-59 and inbounding with 10.3 seconds left, the Tigers got an off-balance 3-pointer, but junior Noah Hambley crashed the boards and in one fell swoop secured the rebound and put it back up off the glass for the winning bucket as time expired in a boys’ basketball Division 4 first-round matchup.
The Oliver Ames boys got four free throws from Jacob Lok in the final 26 seconds to squeak past Canton, 45-42, in the first round of the Division 2 bracket. The Acton-Boxborough girls also needed overtime to complete a 53-49 Division 1 first-round triumph over Brookline.
The only overtime hockey game of the night saw the Diman boys net an equalizer in the final minute of regulation before Marlborough’s Ethan Guo supplied the heroics just 2:08 into the extra frame, propelling the No. 8 Panthers into the Division 3 second round with a 6-5 victory. Anthony Tramontozzi and Chace Lozano each scored twice for Marlborough
Caroline Arruda, Marshfield — The sophomore poured in 32 points to push the Rams to a 68-63 preliminary-round win over Westborough.
Gaby Bassett, Nauset/Monomoy — The senior capped her hat trick with the winning goal in a 4-3 Division 2 opening-round win over Burlington.
Brody Bumila and Jake Webster, Bishop Feehan — The seniors took control of an 85-67 Division 1 first-round victory, with Bumila providing 32 points and 14 rebounds and Webster going for 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Avery Gamble, Oliver Ames — The senior’s 3-point shot wasn’t falling, but she didn’t let that get in the way of a 34-point performance, 2 off her career best, during a 59-50 Division 2 first-round win over Bedford.
Eileen Lowther, Hingham — The junior controlled the glass, pulling down 15 rebounds and blocking six shots to go with 12 points in a 54-43 Division 2 first-round win.
Mollie Mullen, Bishop Feehan — The senior from Dighton delivered 21 points, 9 steals, and 5 assists as the No. 2 Shamrocks rolled to a 71-30 Division 1 first-round victory over Peabody.
Maura Quirk, Acton-Boxborough — The sophomore was cleaning the glass to the tune of 17 rebounds while adding 13 points in a 53-49 overtime win in the first round of the Division 1 bracket.
Senior Sophia O’Donnell made history, becoming the first St. Mary’s athlete to sign to become a Division 1 rower. O’Donnell will row for Merrimack.
Milton Academy graduate Cormac Ryan signed a two-way NBA contract with the Bucks on Thursday, making him the fourth former member of the Middlesex Magic AAU program currently in the NBA, along with The Pistons’ Duncan Robinson, Hornets’ Pat Connaughton, and Knicks’ Tyler Kolek.
Ryan, who hails from New York, was a three-time All-NEPSAC selection at Milton Academy before playing at Stanford, Notre Dame, and North Carolina. He spent the last two seasons in the G League with the Oklahoma City Blue and Wisconsin Herd. He played with the Thunder’s Summer League team in 2024.
Quinnipiac junior Anna Foley, a 6-foot-3-inch Andover graduate, was celebrated for reaching 1,000 points during a ceremony Friday. She passed the mark on Feb. 12 in a 62-40 victory over Siena. A two-time All-MAAC second team selection, she’s averaging 9.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
Avery Gamble, Oliver Ames, 34
Caroline Arruda, Marshfield, 32
Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan, 32
Weston Bunnell, Stoneham, 29
Joe Baraky, Duxbury, 28
Zach Georges, Pioneer Charter I, 27
Kelsi Lanza, Silver Lake, 27
Josh Roux, Andover, 26
Ava Bailey, Newburyport, 25
Allie Danis, Newton North, 25
Angie Djoko, Danvers, 25
Noah Feldman, Marshfield, 25
Matty Gray, Burlington, 25
Jackson Hines, Arlington Catholic, 25
Connor Houle, Attleboro, 25
Katelyn Troilo, Mansfield, 25
Alex Ste. Marie, Manchester Essex, 24
Serenity West, Greater Lawrence, 24
Noah Bayersdorfer, Winthrop, 23
Maliah Caban, Greater Lawrence, 23
Josh Jenkins, Barnstable, 23
Reagan Maniscalco, Tewksbury, 23
Colin Trimble, Foxborough, 23
Eva Andrews, Needham, 22
Alaysia Drummonds, Foxborough, 22
Trevor Manning, Ipswich, 22
Gia Porazzo, Foxborough, 22
Sarah Powers, Wayland, 22
Ryan Tullish, Middleborough, 22
Chase Gara, Sutton, 21
Mollie Mullen, Bishop Feehan, 21
LaDainian Rodrigues, Attleboro, 21
Rex Satter, Ipswich, 21
Jake Webster, Bishop Feehan, 21
Aboubakar Nimaka, Malden Catholic, 20
Dylan Raffle, Milton, 20
Maeve Horsman, Oliver Ames, 18
Eva Andrews, Needham, 17
Maura Quirk, Acton-Boxborough, 17
Tony Dean, Stoneham, 15
Eileen Lowther, Hingham, 15
Brody Bumila, Bishop Feehan, 14
Angie Djoko, Danvers, 12
Camden Strandberg, Bridgewater-Raynham, 11
Avery Teixeira, Bishop Feehan, 11
Sophie Gallivan, North Reading, 10
Shannon LaMorticelli, Bishop Feehan, 10
Aboubakar Nimaka, Malden Catholic, 10
Zarah Ochi, Burlington, 10
Ashley Varnum, Bridgewater-Raynham, 10
Lila Polansky, Bridgewater-Raynham, 8
Duke Cherry, Malden Catholic, 7
Sophie Gallivan, North Reading, 7
Erin Reilly, Burlington, 7
Jake Webster, Bishop Feehan, 7
Caroline Connors, Millis, 6
Egan Gill, Bishop Feehan, 6
Rex Satter, Ipswich, 6
Marcus Tayag, Pioneer Charter I, 6
Rayana Laurent, Pingree, 5
Mollie Mullen, Bishop Feehan, 9
Reagan Maniscalco, Tewksbury, 6
Ella O’Keefe, Oliver Ames, 5
Dylan Raffle, Milton, 4
Ava Sicari, Burlington, 4
Rex Satter, Ipswich, 3
Eileen Lowther, Hingham, 6
Maeve Horsman, Oliver Ames, 5
Zarah Ochi, Burlington, 4
Gaby Bassett, Nauset/Monomoy, 3
Griff Callahan, Martha’s Vineyard, 2
Max Cronen, Monomoy/Mashpee, 2
Addy Harrington, Duxbury, 2
Jaxon Hoey, Norwell, 2
Chace Lozano, Marlborough, 2
Mackenna Metell, Martha’s Vineyard, 2
Christos Rogaris, Dover-Sherborn/Weston, 2
Mark Trahon, Norwood, 2
Anthony Tramontozzi, Marlborough, 2
Bryce Campanale, Norwell, 3
Maeve Turner, Falmouth, 3
Violet Cox, Falmouth, 2
Ryan Heidt, Martha’s Vineyard, 2
Cam Long, Norwell, 2
Kody Pokraka, Falmouth, 2
Bailen Darack, Martha’s Vineyard, 22
Sammie Precourt, Dennis-Yarmouth, 16
Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.
BOSTON (WHDH) – State public health officials have announced two confirmed cases of measles in Massachusetts this year.
The first case came from a school-aged resident who was exposed and diagnoses while out of state. This person has remained out of state during the infectious period.
The second case was diagnosed by an adult in Greater Boston. Officials say this person had recently returned from international travel with an uncertain vaccination history.
This person visited several locations. Both local and state health officials are working with the locations to identify and notify those who were potentially exposed.
“Our first two measles cases in 2026 demonstrate the impact that the measles outbreaks, nationally and internationally, can have here at home. Fortunately, thanks to high vaccination rates, the risk to most Massachusetts residents remains low,” said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “Measles is the most contagious respiratory virus and can cause life-threatening illness. These cases are a reminder of the need for health care providers and local health departments to remain vigilant for cases so that appropriate public health measures can be rapidly employed to prevent spread in the state. This is also a reminder that getting vaccinated is the best way for people to protect themselves from this disease.”
(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Several Cape Cod and South Coast communities in Massachusetts are still digging out three days after a historic blizzard buried neighborhoods in several feet of snow, complicating emergency response efforts and prompting additional state support.
Cities and towns including Brockton, Taunton, New Bedford and Fall River received outside assistance Thursday as crews continued to plow streets and clear critical infrastructure. While road conditions have improved in many areas, officials said buried fire hydrants remain a serious concern.
NBC10 Boston obtained Taunton police body camera footage that captured first responders scrambling to locate a hydrant during a house fire on Plain Street.
“Looking for a hydrant now,” one first responder can be heard saying. “They’re all buried.”
At one point, an officer asked a bystanders for help.
A home was burned to the ground after an explosion that left two people injured.
Officials said the home exploded after a gas leak Wednesday, leaving a family of three displaced.
The mother and daughter were treated for serious burns.
William Shivers, who helped firefighters dig out a hydrant, described the urgency.
“We took the shovels, and we were just banging into the snow, looking for a fire hydrant,” he said.
After locating a hydrant using a map on his phone, Shivers and firefighters were able to clear it, but he said the delay could have been worse.
Two people are in the hospital and neighbors are worried about safety after an explosion and fire reduced a house to rubble.
“Imagine how many more how many more minutes that would have been wasted, you know, shoveling, just going through the snow,” said Shivers.
The case underscores the broader challenges facing first responders across the region following Monday’s storm.
Firefighters in Watertown also experienced delays accessing hydrants during a fire on Tuesday.
Snow and ice presented challenges as firefighters battled flames Tuesday.
Gov. Maura Healey toured parts of the South Coast on Thursday and said the region was hit especially hard.
“This whole region, I think, was ground zero,” she said.
Healey said the state will continue deploying resources to affected communities.
“We won’t take our foot off the gas at all,” she said.
The governor activated the Massachusetts National Guard. Troops assisted with snow removal in Plymouth, conducted wellness checks in Duxbury and provided medical and logistical support in Fall River.
Matt Medeiros of Fall River was praised by the governor and other officials for developing an app that allows residents to report unplowed streets.
“It’s just hoping to get those resources in and everyone just staying out of the way of trucks and equipment,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mansfield implemented a parking ban at 8 p.m. Thursday to allow plows to clear roads more efficiently.
Matthew Lawlor of WalkUp Roslindale, a nonprofit advocating for clean and safe streets, emphasized that residents also play a role in public safety.
“The fire hydrant piece of it’s essential,” he noted.
Lawlor urged neighbors to clear hydrants near their homes before an emergency strikes, while also calling on elected officials to provide some incentives.
“To the extent that people can be encouraged to dig those hydrants out as soon as they can, so that it’s not waiting until something happens,” he said.
State officials said the blizzard slowed plowing operations, contributing to the lag in sending additional help to some communities. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation said it hopes to deploy its 200 pieces of equipment to impacted areas within the next 24 to 48 hours.
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