Smith v. United States
United States Supreme Court
508 U.S. 223 (1993)
- Written by Jamie Milne, JD
Facts
John Smith (defendant) and his companion traveled to Florida to purchase cocaine for dealing. Smith’s acquaintance Deborah Hoag took Smith and his companion to her motel room, where a drug dealer joined them. In the meeting, Smith discussed his interest in selling his MAC-10 firearm, which was an automatic weapon with a silencer. Hoag was an informant for the local police and notified them of Smith’s conduct. An undercover officer posing as a pawnshop dealer called on Smith at the motel. Smith showed the officer his MAC-10 and offered to trade it for two ounces of cocaine. Smith was later indicted for conspiracy and attempt to possess cocaine with intent to distribute. The indictment also alleged that Smith used the MAC-10 during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime, triggering 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)’s penalty provisions. The district-court jury convicted Smith. Smith appealed, arguing that § 924(c)(1)’s penalties applied only to situations in which a firearm was used as a weapon. The court of appeals disagreed and affirmed Smith’s conviction. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (O’Connor, J.)
Dissent (Scalia, J.)
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