Document: 524 U.S. 308118 S.Ct. 2007141 L.Ed.2d 303 Gerald R. CARON, Petitioner,v.UNITED STATES. No. 97-6270. Supreme Court of the United States Argued April 21, 1998. Decided June 22, Syllabus * Federal law forbids a person convicted serious offense to possess any firearm, 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1), and requires that three-time violent felon who violates §922(g) receive an enhanced sentence, §924(e). However, previous conviction is not predicate for substantive or sentence if offender's civil rights have been restored, "unless such . restoration expressly provides may firearms.'' §921(a)(20). Petitioner, has extensive criminal record, was possessing, inter alia, six rifles shotguns in violation §922(g). The District his based on one California three Massachusetts convictions, but First Circuit vacated concluding had restored by operation permitted him restricted right carry handguns. On remand, disregarded finding that, because allowed petitioner rifles, §921(a)(20)'s clause'' activated, handgun restriction irrelevant case involved shotguns. reversed, counting convictions remained subject significant firearms restrictions. Held: activates unless clause, making count under federal law. phrase "may firearms'' must be interpreted either two "all-or-nothing'' approaches: it applies when State more types firearms, as Government contends; does apply permits regardless possessed particular case. This agrees with Government's approach, which state weapons limitation uniform ban possessing at all. Even offender guns he possessed, uses State's determination dangerous than law-abiding citizens impose its own broader stricture. Under petitioner's law, clause would could rifle. approach contradicts likely, rational, congressional intent. Congress, believing existing laws provided less positive assurance repeat no longer poses unacceptable risk dangerousness, intended keep away from all offenders might cause harm, even they were deemed States. Dickerson v. New Banner Institute, Inc., 460 103, 119, 120, 103 986, 995-996, 74 845. To provide missing assurance, reach primary conduct covered fact determines mean also controls clause: As possession, interest single, national, protective policy, required rule lenity here, since relies implausible reading purpose. See Shabani, 513 10, 17, 115 382, 386, 130 225. Pp. ____-____. Affirmed. KENNEDY, J., delivered opinion Court, REHNQUIST, C.J., STEVENS, O'CONNOR, GINSBURG, BREYER, JJ., joined. THOMAS, filed dissenting opinion, SCALIA SOUTER, Owen S. Walker, Boston, MA, petitioner. Jonathan Nuechterlein, Washington, DC, respondent. Justice KENNEDY Court. 1 crime punishable year prison firearm. §922(g)(1). If felony statute, sentence. A neither nor enhancement so-called we now interpret. ellipses suggest, statute complex, quoted presents issue our decision. 2 parties, reflecting similar division among various Courts Appeals, disagree over interpretation following circumstance. What restoring possession some say pistols, others, rifles? In sense, specified "firearms.'' another can absolute. Compare, e.g., Estrella, 104 F.3d 3, 8 (C.A.1) (adopting former reading), cert. denied, 521 ----, 117 2494, 138 1001 (1997) Driscoll, 970 F.2d 1472, 1480-1481 (C.A.6 1992) (same), 506 1083, 113 1056, 122 362 (1993), Qualls, 140 824, 826-827 (C.A.9 1998) (en banc) (intermediate position), Shoemaker, 53, 55-56 (C.A.4 1993) 510 1047, 114 698, 126 665 (1994). 3 contends class criminals includes those forbidden others. this reading, effect offenses are chargeable, enhanced. appeal, position prevailed Appeals Circuit, affirm judgment. 4 Petitioner Caron including felonies. court, 1958 attempted breaking entering night and, 1959 1963, night. 1970 assault intent commit murder murder. 5 July 1993, walked into home Walter Miller, carrying semiautomatic He threatened brandished rifle face, pointed wife, daughters, 3-year-old grandson. Police officers disarmed arrested 6 September agent called determine other unlawful firearms. said only flintlock antique (not law) owned conventional told him, forbade superseded December agents executed search warrant house, seizing 6,823 rounds ammunition. 7 jury four counts firearm ammunition after having offense. least felon, convictions. claimed should counted shotguns, necessary permit five years old. Mass. Gen. Laws §§140:123, 140:129B, 140:129C (1996). handguns outside business. §§140:121, 140:131, 269:10. At first, rejected claim rights. It held offender-specific action rather disagreed, vacating remanding Caron, 77 1, 2, (1996) banc). We denied certiorari. 518 1027, 116 2569, 135 1085 interpreting ruled did forbid rifles. 941 F.Supp. 238, 251-254 (D.Mass.1996). Though handgun, considered ibid. granted 522 118 680, 139 628 (1998). II 9 offenses. An abbreviated version follows: 10 "It shall person- 11 " (1) court of, imprisonment term exceeding year; 12 ..... 13 "to ship transport interstate foreign commerce, affecting ammunition; shipped transported commerce.'' 14 Three-time felons violate face sentences 15 years' imprisonment. §924(e)(1). "Violent felony'' defined include burglary crimes creating physical injury. §924(e)(2)(B)(ii). discussed above. Not however, purposes Until 1986, alone determined whether counted, expunged conviction. 119-122, 995-997, 845 (1983). Congress modified aspect adopting language: 16 "What constitutes accordance jurisdiction proceedings held. Any expunged, set aside pardoned chapter, pardon, expungement, ship, transport, possess, 17 first second define pardons, expungements, restorations reference convicting jurisdiction. Beecham States, 511 368, 371, 1669, 1670-1671, 128 383 Aside parties agree question presented 19 note these preliminary points. First, pardon like. makes difference. Nothing text §921(a)(20) case-by-case decision restore offender. While "pardon'' connotes determination, "restoration rights'' not. chosen broad govern situation, gives rule. All address point agree. F.3d, 2; McGrath 60 1005, 1008 (C.A.2 1995), 516 1121, 929, 133 857 (1996); Hall, 20 1066, 1068-1069 (C.A.10 1994); Glaser, 1213, 1218 (C.A.7 Thomas, 991 206, 212-213 (C.A.5), 1014, 607, 572 (1993); Dahms, 938 131, 133-134 1991); Essick, 935 28, 30-31 Cassidy, 899 543, 550, n. 1990). Second, ruled, urges allows what nothing more. Here, so, their theory, clause. do dispute common sense words it. activated "expressly Either "firearms'' purposes, looks terms past refer present So bar guns. III 21 firearms,'' then, call approaches. 22 so ones have. singled out citizens, 23 Although creates incongruities, yields results contrary policy. permission entailed all, then pistol allow weapon well. view, petitioner, still strange result inconsistent conceivable arise often enough impair working statute. Massachusetts, case, choose while restricting part. permissive make partial restrictions nullity indeed egregious cases most weapons. cannot bizarre result. 24 all-or-nothing argument, subset activities already contradict Congress. Congress' "provide dangerousness.'' Dickerson, U.S., S.Ct., 996. meant who, feared, persons id., 995. "positive assurance,'' need caution borne attack Miller family, used gun reduce state-law violations, recognized Dickerson. Permission 25 responded ruling providing conviction, source rights, follow agree, policy governs see contradictory analysis. Restoration vote, hold office, sit turns many complexities nuances convenient definition. weapons, Petitioner's undermine 26 final matter, says lenity, argument unavailing. invoked grammatical possibility. ambiguous relied 225 (1994) (requiring use traditional tools statutory construction resolve ambiguities before resorting lenity). For reasons explained, plausible satisfy condition. 27 sum, treats too trust handguns, though accords citizens. dangerousness forbidding judgment 28 29 whom SOUTER join, dissenting. 30 imposed ante, __. my provid[e]'' §921(a)(20), thus sentenced armed career Because holds contrary, I respectfully dissent. 31 prior qualify felonies §924(e) [his] provide[d] [petitioner] 1994, contrary: __; Gen.Stat. 140:129C. Indeed, identification card enabled firearms.* placed §269:10(A). By prohibiting certain (handguns) places (outside office), 32 plain meaning resolves rejects basis "a policy'' ex-felons whose ability way Ante, According "bizarre result'' partially restricts ex-felon. But limitations relevant once established ex-felon's seek public serve jury, restored. (C.A.1 1996). presumably worthy participating civic life. Once decision, entirely rational (and certainly bizarre) authorize increased additionally prohibits altogether. 33 Moreover, concedes, "incongruities.'' qualifies Given primacy scheme, legal subjects That, precisely conclusion reaches simply true, reasons, "must law.'' create stiffer penalties possessions illegal And purpose consistent direction felony. 34 believe very least, one. both concede much. Brief ("grammatically possible'' read condition satisfied firearms); __ (this "reading enough''). Accordingly, far clear just imposes restriction, matter how slight, ex-felons. therefore apply: [T]he will interpret increase penalty individual guess intended.'' Ladner 358 169, 178, 79 209, 214, 199 (1958). Ex-felons expected realize explicitly behavior allows. 35 thinks purported ambiguity rests "grammatical possibility'' "an purpose.'' alleged mere possibility; exists described, natural language 36 provid[e] is, one, apply. reverse below. syllabus part prepared Reporter Decisions convenience reader. Detroit Timber & Lumber Co., 200 321, 337, 282, 287, 50 L.Ed. 499. "entitled to'' release prison. §140:129B; Commonwealth Landry, Mass.App. 404, 406 376 N.E.2d 1243, 1245, (1978) (firearm obtained "matter right'').

Category: 0