Opinion ID: 703968
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Overbreadth and Vagueness Issue

Text: 42 The three statutory provisions also survive First Amendment scrutiny under the vagueness and overbreadth doctrines. For the reasons stated in their opinions, we agree with the Eighth and Ninth Circuits which have already rejected vagueness and overbreadth challenges to Secs. 241 and 3631. See United States v. McDermott, 29 F.3d 404, 410 (8th Cir.1994) (holding Sec. 241 not vague or overbroad); United States v. J.H.H., 22 F.3d 821, 828 (8th Cir.1994) (holding Secs. 241 and 3631 not vague); United States v. Gilbert, 813 F.2d 1523, 1530-31 (9th Cir.) (holding Sec. 3631 not vague or overbroad), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 860, 108 S.Ct. 173, 98 L.Ed.2d 127 (1987). The same result applies to Sec. 844. It is not vague, because the language provides clear notice that using fire during the course of committing a felony is a crime; it is not overbroad, because it applies only to those fires used during the commission of federal felonies.