Court Opinion

ID: 9494656
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 15:43:25.852177+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:56:32.425070
License: Public Domain

MERRITT, Circuit Judge,
dissenting.
The issue that is now before our Court in this case was decided by the Second Circuit in United States v. Pacheco, 225 F.3d 148 (2d Cir.2000), a two-to-one decision in which Judge Straub dissented. I agree with Judge Straub’s dissenting opinion found at 225 F.3d at 157. Calling a “misdemeanor” an “aggravated felony” is simply too much for me. It is by no means clear that this is what the legislative branch intended, and hence the rule of lenity in criminal cases ought to prevail.