2022 U.S. Supreme Court Criminal Law Update

Xiulu Ruan v. U.S., Op. No. 20-1410, (06/27/2022)

Section 841’s “knowingly or intentionally” mens rea applies to the

statute’s “except as authorized” clause. Once a defendant meets the

burden of producing evidence that his or her conduct was “authorized,”

the Government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant knowingly or intentionally acted in an unauthorized manner.

U.S. v. Taylor, Op. No. 20-1459, (06/21/2022)

Attempted Hobbs Act robbery does not qualify as a “crime of violence” under §924(c)(3)(A) because no element of the offense requires

proof that the defendant used, attempted to use, or threatened to use

force.

Denezpi v. U.S., Op. No. 20-7622, (06/13/2022)

The Double Jeopardy Clause does not bar successive prosecutions

of distinct offenses arising from a single act, even if a single sovereign

prosecutes them.

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