Opinion ID: 415734
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Expunction of the State Conviction

Text: 2 In 1965 Freed was convicted in Texas of the felony of receiving and concealing stolen property. In 1966, after he had satisfied the conditions of his probation, his conviction was set aside by the Texas court. He was released from all penalties and disabilities resulting from the conviction. That was his only felony conviction prior to his conviction on these charges. 3 Freed argues that the 1965 conviction has been expunged, and is not a prior felony conviction for purposes of the federal firearms laws. The government responds that the release from disabilities granted by the Texas court was not an expunction. See United States v. Padia, 584 F.2d 85 (5th Cir.1978). Regardless of whether the release constituted an expunction, Freed's argument is meritless. 4 The Supreme Court held recently that expunction of a state conviction does not remove automatically the firearms disabilities imposed by the federal gun control statutes. Dickerson v. New Banner Institute, Inc., --- U.S. ----, 103 S.Ct. 986, 74 L.Ed.2d 845 (1983), rev'g 649 F.2d 216 (4th Cir.1981); see also United States v. Bergeman, 592 F.2d 533 (9th Cir.1979). We must reject Freed's argument that his prior felony conviction was improperly used as the basis of the present charges. 5