United States v. Turley
United States Supreme Court
352 U.S. 407 (1957)

- Written by Kelli Lanski, JD
Facts
James Turley (defendant) borrowed a car from its owner for the purpose of driving some friends to their homes in South Carolina. After taking possession of the car, Turley drove it to Maryland and sold it without the owner’s permission. Turley was charged with violating the National Motor Vehicle Theft Act (the act), which prohibited transporting a car interstate knowing it was stolen. Turley moved to dismiss the indictment, arguing that the word stolen in the act referred only to those unlawful takings that would constitute common-law larceny and the charges against him would not. The trial court agreed and dismissed the charge. The United States appealed, arguing that holding a motor vehicle by embezzlement, as Turley was alleged to have done, meant that the car was stolen under the act.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Burton, J.)
Dissent (Frankfurter, J.)
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