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The inane and insane realities of federal felon-in-possession prosecutions and sentencings

By Douglas A. Berman

A little decision today from the Eighth Circuit, US v. Littrell, No. 08-1149 (8th Cir. Feb. 23, 2009) (available here), provides yet another reminder of how the federal felon-in-possession law is utilized to convict and sentence defendants for all sort of outrageous behavior that has relatively little connection to the illegal possession of a firearm.  Here are the basic offense facts as described by the Eighth Circuit in Littrell: Early on the morning of August 2, 2006, Littrell argued with his landlady, Melissa Stout, at her home in West Des Moines, where Littrell had been renting a room for about two months.  When Stout reminded Littrell that he owed her more than $1,000 in rent and other debts, Littrell went to his bedroom, returned with a hard-sided case, and pulled a firearm...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on February 23, 2009 (boomark / email).