Reply #39: From The Article

[CO Liberal]

"Not to quote my mother," said Knuuttila, the House vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Criminal Justice, "but you could put out an eye with one of those things."

In 1986, when Knuuttila was a police officer, he was called to a barroom fight in Shirley, Mass., where one man slashed across the face and neck, by his attacker's metal-spiked band wrist.

He said that the state banned the armbands along with brass knuckles and blackjacks when motorcycle gang violence was at its height in the 1970s.

Danvers police say the problem was greatest at Liberty Tree Mall a popular teen hangout spot where 120 people were arrested between April 2000 and April 2002. Through June of this year, only three spiked wristbands have been confiscated in Danvers.

"The word passed pretty rapidly," said Lt. Dave Woytovich. "I really think they're not a problem anymore."

Hot Topic, a trendy teen apparel store, sells spiked bands throughout its chain of 300 mall stores but not in Massachusetts.

"We agree with the law, that they're basically weapons," said Brad McDonald, an assistant manager for Hot Topic at Square One Mall in Saugus.