NY penal code, not a USC?

Joined
Jul 26, 2009
Messages
314
Can anyone explain what this part of the NY penal code actually means?:

(5) He possesses any dangerous or deadly weapon and is not a
citizen of the United States...
Criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree is a class A
misdemeanor.

It appears that it means that they wouldn't need to prove intent to use the knife unlawfully if the person was not a US citizen.
I am not a citizen yet. I am a legal permanent resident from the UK, and I must wait a few years until I can apply for naturalization.
As you can probably imagine, reading that part of the penal code has worried me somewhat.
It seems a little bizarre, as laws usually say 'legal resident', not 'citizen' (firearms laws for instance)

I need clarification from people who understand legalese better than I...
 
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