The Supreme Court has granted certiorari in Barrett v. United States, No. 24-5774, to decide if the Double Jeopardy Clause permits a court to impose separate sentences for an act that violates both 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) and § 924(j). The petition is available here. Section 924(c)(1)(A) is violated if someone, “during and in relation … Read more
On May 11, 2023, the Supreme Court reversed the Second Circuit in Ciminelli v. United States, 598 U.S. 306 (2023), and Percoco v. United States, 598 U.S. 319 (2023) holding invalid both the Circuit’s “right to control” theory of fraud (Ciminelli) and its theory that a private citizen with a “special relationship” with the government, … Read more
In Smith v. United States, decided June 15, 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that if a defendant is successful in showing that their trial was held in an improper venue, the government is nonetheless permitted to retry them in the proper venue. The Court reasoned that nothing in the language or history of either the … Read more
In United States v. Hicks, No. 19-590 (2d Cir. July 16, 2021), the defendant was tried for conspiracy to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, a 924(c) violation, and a RICO conspiracy. He was convicted of the marijuana conspiracy but acquitted of both the conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base and … Read more
In Gamble v. United States, No. 17-646, decided on June 17, 2019, the Supreme Court declined to overturn its “dual-sovereignty” doctrine — in the face of a Double Jeopardy challenge — in a 7-2 decision written by Justice Alito. Gamble v. United States, No. 17-646, 2019 WL 2493923 (June 17, 2019). Terance Gamble was convicted … Read more
As we mourn Justice Kennedy’s retirement, Sentencing Resource Counsel Sissy Phleger has graciously allowed us to post her summaries of the Supreme Court’s recent decisions in Carpenter v. United States (opinion available here) and Currier v. Virginia (opinion available here): First, in the eagerly-anticipated Carpenter v. United States, the Court held that the government’s acquisition … Read more
Today the Supreme Court granted certiorari in two criminal cases: Dahda v. United States, No. 17-43 Question Presented: Whether Title III of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, 18 U.S.C. 2510-2520, requires suppression of evidence obtained pursuant to a wiretap order that is facially insufficient because the order exceeds the judge’s … Read more
On Tuesday, in Bravo-Fernandez v. United States, the Court decided that, when a jury has returned inconsistent verdicts in a multi-count criminal case—acquittals on some counts but a conviction on another—and the conviction is subsequently vacated on appeal because of erroneous jury instructions, the double jeopardy clause does not preclude the government from retrying the … Read more
United States v. Bruno, No. 10-1887-cr (2d Cir. November 16, 2011) (Parker, Chin, CJJ, Korman, DJ) The story of Joe Bruno, former New York State Senate Majority Leader, is fairly well known. Having seemingly turned his position into a veritable cesspool of self-interested profiteering, he was ultimately convicted of two counts “honest services” fraud – … Read more
United States v Jackson, No. 07-0263-cr (2d Cir. August 4, 2011) Leval, Lynch, CJJ, Korman, DJ) Appellant Derrick Rowe, charged with a drug-related murder, had three trials. At the first, he was convicted of only drug trafficking and possession of ammunition, but the jury hung on three other counts – murder, § 924(c) and § … Read more