Jaime Castillo, et al., v. United States (530 U.S. 120)
U.S. Supreme Court · decided June 5, 2000 · Supreme Court Database (Spaeth)
- Citation
- 530 U.S. 120 · 120 S. Ct. 2090
- Decided
- June 5, 2000
- Term
- October Term 1999
- Vote
- 9–0
- Majority author
- Justice Breyer
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome
- Petitioning party won
- Ideological direction
- Liberal
Opinion excerpt
Justice Breyer delivered the opinion of the Court. In this case we once again decide whether words in a federal criminal statute create offense elements (determined by a jury) or sentencing factors (determined by a judge). See Jones v. United States, 526 U. S. 227 (1999); Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U. S. 224 (1998). The statute in question, 18 U. S. C. § 924(c) (1988 ed., Supp. V), prohibits the use or carrying of a "firearm” in relation to a crime of violence, and increases the penalty dramatically when the weapon used or carried is, for example, a “maehinegun.” We conclude that the statute uses the word “machinegun” (and similar words) to state an element of a separate offense. i — i Petitioners are members of the Branch-Davidian religious sect and are among those who were involved in a violent confrontation with federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms near Waco, Texas, in 1993. The ease before us arises out of an indictment alleging that, among other things, petitioners conspired to murder federal officers. At the time of petitioners’ trial, the criminal statute at issue (reprinted in its entirety in the Appendix, infra) read in relevant part: "(c)(1) Whoever, during and in relation to any crime of violence ..., uses or carries a firearm, shall, in addition to the punishment provided for such crime of violence ..., be sentenced to…
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