Colorado

These are excerpts taken from Colorado Statutes and are up-to-date as of February 20, 2002. Information herein should not be assumed accurate, and if you find yourself needing accurate information about law, you are hereby advised to consult a lawyer. Information herein should be used for informational, and not legal, purposes only.


Type of Weapon

• Pepper Spray - Yes
• Stun Guns and Tasers - Yes
• Batons - May not automatically expand
• Nunchucks - Display Only
• Brass Nuckles - Yes
• Sling Shots - Yes
• Knives (Longer than 3.5") - No
• Throwing Stars and Knives - Display Only
• Switchblades - Unknown
• Butterfly Knives - Unknown
• Blowguns - Yes
• Swords - Unknown
• Cane Swords - Unknown

Defense Laws

• 18-1-704 - Use of physical force in defense of a person.
  (1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, a person is justified in using physical force upon another person in order to defend himself or a third person from what he reasonably believes to be the use or imminent use of unlawful physical force by that other person, and he may use a degree of force which he reasonably believes to be necessary for that purpose.
  (2) Deadly physical force may be used only if a person reasonably believes a lesser degree of force is inadequate and:
  (a) The actor has reasonable ground to believe, and does believe, that he or another person is in imminent danger of being killed or of receiving great bodily injury; or
  (b) The other person is using or reasonably appears about to use physical force against an occupant of a dwelling or business establishment while committing or attempting to commit burglary as defined in sections 18-4-202 to 18-4-204; or
  (c) The other person is committing or reasonably appears about to commit kidnapping as defined in section 18-3-301 or 18-3-302, robbery as defined in section 18-4-301 or 18-4-302, sexual assault as set forth in section 18-3-402, or in section 18-3-403 as it existed prior to July 1, 2000, or assault as defined in sections 18-3-202 and 18-3-203.
  (3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, a person is not justified in using physical force if:
  (a) With intent to cause bodily injury or death to another person, he provokes the use of unlawful physical force by that other person; or
  (b) He is the initial aggressor; except that his use of physical force upon another person under the circumstances is justifiable if he withdraws from the encounter and effectively communicates to the other person his intent to do so, but the latter nevertheless continues or threatens the use of unlawful physical force; or
  (c) The physical force involved is the product of a combat by agreement not specifically authorized by law.
  
• 18-1-704.5 - Use of deadly physical force against an intruder.
  (1) The general assembly hereby recognizes that the citizens of Colorado have a right to expect absolute safety within their own homes.
  (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 18-1-704, any occupant of a dwelling is justified in using any degree of physical force, including deadly physical force, against another person when that other person has made an unlawful entry into the dwelling, and when the occupant has a reasonable belief that such other person has committed a crime in the dwelling in addition to the uninvited entry, or is committing or intends to commit a crime against a person or property in addition to the uninvited entry, and when the occupant reasonably believes that such other person might use any physical force, no matter how slight, against any occupant.
  (3) Any occupant of a dwelling using physical force, including deadly physical force, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (2) of this section shall be immune from criminal prosecution for the use of such force.
  (4) Any occupant of a dwelling using physical force, including deadly physical force, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (2) of this section shall be immune from any civil liability for injuries or death resulting from the use of such force.
  
• 18-1-705 - Use of physical force in defense of premises.
  A person in possession or control of any building, realty, or other premises, or a person who is licensed or privileged to be thereon, is justified in using reasonable and appropriate physical force upon another person when and to the extent that it is reasonably necessary to prevent or terminate what he reasonably believes to be the commission or attempted commission of an unlawful trespass by the other person in or upon the building, realty, or premises. However, he may use deadly force only in defense of himself or another as described in section 18-1-704, or when he reasonably believes it necessary to prevent what he reasonably believes to be an attempt by the trespasser to commit first degree arson.
  
• 18-1-706 - Use of physical force in defense of property.
  A person is justified in using reasonable and appropriate physical force upon another person when and to the extent that he reasonably believes it necessary to prevent what he reasonably believes to be an attempt by the other person to commit theft, criminal mischief, or criminal tampering involving property, but he may use deadly physical force under these circumstances only in defense of himself or another as described in section 18-
• 1-704.
  

Weapons Laws

• 18-12-106.5. Use of stun guns.
  Statute text
  A person commits a class 5 felony if he knowingly and unlawfully uses a stun gun in the commission of a criminal offense.
  
• 18-12-106. Prohibited use of weapons.
  Statute text
  (1) A person commits a class 2 misdemeanor if:
  (a) He knowingly and unlawfully aims a firearm at another person; or
  (b) Recklessly or with criminal negligence he discharges a firearm or shoots a bow and arrow; or
  (c) He knowingly sets a loaded gun, trap, or device designed to cause an explosion upon being tripped or approached, and leaves it unattended by a competent person immediately present; or
  (d) The person has in his or her possession a firearm while the person is under the influence of intoxicating liquor or of a controlled substance, as defined in section 12-22-303 (7), C.R.S. Possession of a permit issued under section 18-12-105.1, as it existed prior to its repeal, or possession of a permit or a temporary emergency permit issued pursuant to part 2 of this article is no defense to a violation of this subsection (1).
  (e) He knowingly aims, swings, or throws a throwing star or nunchaku as defined in this paragraph (e) at another person, or he knowingly possesses a throwing star or nunchaku in a public place except for the purpose of presenting an authorized public demonstration or exhibition or pursuant to instruction in conjunction with an organized school or class. When transporting throwing stars or nunchaku for a public demonstration or exhibition or for a school or class, they shall be transported in a closed, nonaccessible container. For purposes of this paragraph (e), "nunchaku" means an instrument consisting of two sticks, clubs, bars, or rods to be used as handles, connected by a rope, cord, wire, or chain, which is in the design of a weapon used in connection with the practice of a system of self-defense, and "throwing star" means a disk having sharp radiating points or any disk-shaped bladed object which is hand-held and thrown and which is in the design of a weapon used in connection with the practice of a system of self-defense.