Plain-English summary
Court affirms when a felony counts as a 'crime of violence' under 18 U.S.C. §924(c)(3)(A)
The Court held that certain felonies that require proof of a victim's bodily injury qualify as crimes of violence under 18 U.S.C. §924(c)(3)(A). The decision affirms the Second Circuit and upholds convictions in Salvatore Delligatti's case.
Why this matters
The ruling clarifies which prior state or federal felonies trigger harsh mandatory penalties under a prominent federal gun law. That affects sentencing in many federal prosecutions because a qualifying "crime of violence" conviction can add mandatory, consecutive prison time and limit plea and post-conviction options.
Who may feel it
- Defendants charged under federal gun-enhancement statutes (18 U.S.C. §924(c))
- Federal and state prosecutors who rely on predicate felonies to seek §924(c) penalties
- Criminal defense attorneys and public defenders
- People with prior convictions that could be used as predicate offenses
Key questions
- Does a felony qualify as a "crime of violence" under 18 U.S.C. §924(c)(3)(A) when it requires proof of a victim's bodily injury?
- How should courts interpret the phrase "use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force" when a statute's elements focus on bodily injury rather than an explicit physical-force element?