(I)Besentencedtoatermofimprisonmentofnotless Than

ANNOTATIONSANDCOMMENTS

18U.S.C.§924(c)(1)provides:

(c)(1)(A)… [A]nypersonwho,duringandinrelationtoanycrimeofviolence ordrugtrafficking crime(including acrimeofviolenceordrugtrafficking crime thatprovides foranenhancedpunishment ifcommittedbytheuseofadeadly or dangerousweaponor device)forwhichtheperson maybe prosecutedin acourtof theUnitedStates,usesorcarriesafirearm,orwho,infurtheranceofanysuch crime,possesses afirearm,shall,inadditiontothepunishment providedforsuch crimeof violenceor drugtraffickingcrime--

(i)besentencedtoatermofimprisonmentofnotless than

5years;

(ii)ifthefirearmisbrandished, besentencedtoatermof imprisonmentof notlessthan7years;and

(iii)ifthefirearmisdischarged, besentencedtoatermof imprisonmentof notlessthan10years.

(B)Ifthefirearmpossessedbyaperson convictedofaviolationof thissubsection--

(i)isashort-barreledrifle,short-barreled shotgun,ora semiautomatic assaultweapon,thepersonshallbesentenced toatermof imprisonmentof notlessthan10years;or

(ii)is amachinegunoradestructivedevice,orisequipped withafirearmsilencerorfirearmmuffler, theperson shallbe sentencedto atermof imprisonmentof notlessthan30years.

Maximum Penalty:Asstatedinthestatuteaboveandapplicable fine.Sentencemustbe consecutive.

Thedefinitionof“brandish”is basedon18U.S.C. § 924(c)(4). Thedefinitionof“short- barreledrifle”isbasedon18U.S.C.§§921(a)(7)-(8). Thedefinition of“short-barreled shotgun”is basedon18U.S.C.§§921(a)(5)-(6). Thedefinitionof“machinegun”is basedon18U.S.C. §921(a)(23)and26U.S.C. §5845(b). Thedefinitionof“destructive device”isbasedon18U.S.C.§921(a)(4).

Thedefinitionof “semiautomatic assault weapon”isbasedon18U.S.C.§921(a)(28), andshouldbecompleted byincludinglanguage from18U.S.C.§921(a)(30) (West

2004).OnSeptember13,2004,18U.S.C.§ 921(a)(30)wasrepealeduponexpirationof theFederalAssault WeaponsBan.The Committeebelievesthatthelanguageof Section

921(a)(30) isstillhelpfultodefinetheterm“semiautomaticassault weapon” for violationsof 18U.S.C.§924(c)(1).

InBaileyv.UnitedStates,516U.S.137(1995),theCourtheldthat“uses”withinthe meaningof§924(c)(1)meansmorethanmerepossessionandmorethanproximity and accessibility; itrequires,instead,activeemploymentoftheweaponasbybrandishingor displayingitinsomefashion.

In1998,indirectresponsetoBailey, Congress amended thestatuteinseveralrespects, includingtheinsertion ofthephrase“orwho,infurtheranceofanysuchcrime, possesses afirearm . . . .”Thestatedpurposeandeffectofthisamendmentwastoovercomethe Baileycourt’sconstrictiveinterpretationofthescopeofthestatuteandto extendits reach toanydrugtraffickingorviolentcrimeinwhichtheDefendantmerelypossessesa firearm “infurtheranceofanysuchcrime.”Thus,therearethreepossiblechargesunder thisstatute:(1)“used”duringand inrelationto;(2)“carried”duringand inrelationto;or (3)“possessed”infurtheranceoftheoffense.

In Watsonv. UnitedStates,552 U.S.74 (2007),the SupremeCourtheld that,for purposesof § 924(c)(1)(A),theterm“uses”wouldturnonthelanguageasit was normallyspoken. CompareSmithv.UnitedStates,508U.S.223,(1993)(Aperson“whotradeshisfirearm fordrugs‘uses’thefirearmduring andinrelationtoadrugtraffickingoffencewithinthemeaningof§924(c)(1).”), with Watson,552U.S.74(apersondoesnot“use”afirearmunderthestatutewhenhe receivesitintradefordrugs).

In Dean v. United States, 556 U.S. 568 (2009), the Supreme Court held that

§924(c)(1)(A)(iii), which provides for an enhanced penalty “if the firearm is discharged,” doesnotrequireseparateproofofintent.Inotherwords,theenhancement willapplyevenif thefirearmisdischargedbyaccident.Seeid.

Forpurposesof§924(c)(1)(B)(ii),afirearmmay be“equippedwithafirearmsilenceror firearmmuffler,”whereasilencerislocatedincloseproximitytothefirearmandthe silencerisspecially designed tobeusedwiththatfirearm. Theenhancementmayapply evenifthesilencerisnotattached tothefirearm. SeeUnitedStates v.Charles,469F.3d402(5thCir.2006),cert.denied,549U.S.1273(2007);UnitedStatesv.Rodriguez,841F.Supp.79(E.D.N.Y.1994),aff’d,53F.3d545(2dCir.),cert.denied,516U.S.893 (1995). InAlleynev.UnitedStates,133S. Ct.2151(2013),theUnitedStatesSupreme CourtheldthatApprendiv.NewJersey,530U.S.466(2000),appliestofactsthat increasethemandatoryminimumpunishmentforacrime,andthatanyfact(otherthan thefactofapriorconviction)thatincreasesamandatoryminimumsentence“isan‘element’thatmustbesubmittedtothejury andfoundbeyondareasonabledoubt.” 133S.Ct.at2155. TheCourtinAlleyneoverruledHarrisv.UnitedStates,536U.S.545 (2002),whichheldthatApprendididnotprecludetheuseoffactsfoundbyajudgeatsentencingtoincreaseadefendant’smandatoryminimumsentence. Accordingly,ajuryisrequiredtobeinstructedthatanyfactchargedintheindictment thatenhancesa defendant’ssentencemustbefoundbythejurybeyondareasonabledoubtandthe verdictformshouldbeamendedtoshowtheserequiredfindings. Theenhancements under924(c)thattriggermandatory minimumsentencesbeyondthefive-yearbase sentence forafirstoffenseare:brandishing (7years);discharging (10years);short- barreledrifle,short-barreledshotgun,orsemiautomaticassaultweapon(10years);and machinegun,destructivedevice,or firearmequippedwith a silenceror muffler(30 years).

Whether acrimeisacrimeofviolenceisaquestion oflaw,notoffact.UnitedStatesv. Amparo,68F.3d1222(9thCir.1995);UnitedStatesv.Moore,38F.3d977(8thCir.

1994);UnitedStatesv.Weston,960F.2d212(1stCir.1992);UnitedStatesv.Adkins,937F.2d947(4thCir.1991).Butsee,UnitedStatesv.Jones,993F.2d58(5thCir.1993).Cf.Begayv.UnitedStates,553U.S.137(2008)(“Indeterminingwhether[a]crimeisaviolentfelony [forpurposesof§924(e)],weconsidertheoffensegenerically, thatistosay,weexamine itintermsofhowthelawdefinestheoffenseandnotinterms ofhowanindividualoffendermighthavecommitteditonaparticularoccasion.”);James v.United States,550 U.S. 192(2007)(statingthat indeterminingifacrimequalifiesasa violentfelony forpurposesof§924(e),“welookonlytothefactofconvictionandthe statutorydefinitionoftheprioroffense,anddonotgenerallyconsidertheparticular facts disclosedbytherecordof conviction”).

SpecialVerdict

1. We,theJury,findtheDefendant[name ofDefendant] ______of

the offense charged in Count [___] of the indictment.

[Note: If you find the Defendant not guilty as charged in Count [___], you need not consider the paragraphs below.]

2. We, the Jury, having found the Defendant guilty of the offense charged in

Count [___], further find with respect to that Count that the firearm was ______

[brandished] [discharged].

3. We, the Jury, having found the Defendant guilty of the offense charged in

Count [___], further find with respect to that Count the firearm [used] [carried] ______was a [short-barreled rifle] [short-barreled shotgun] [semiautomatic assault weapon] [machinegun] [destructive devise] [equipped with a firearm silencer or firearm muffler].

So Say We All.

Date: ______

Foreperson