Taylor v. United States
Headline: Court allows federal Hobbs Act convictions when a robber targets marijuana dealers, holding theft of drugs or drug proceeds satisfies the Act’s commerce element and enables federal prosecution of such robberies.
Holding: commerce
Summary
Background
Anthony Taylor, a member of an outlaw gang in Roanoke, Virginia, was tried for two home-invasion robberies that targeted people who sold marijuana. The robberies happened in 2009, and Taylor was convicted on two Hobbs Act robbery counts and one firearms count after a retrial. The Fourth Circuit affirmed, and the Supreme Court took the case to resolve a split among appeals courts about what the Hobbs Act’s commerce requirement demands when drug dealers are targeted.
Reasoning
The Court reviewed the Hobbs Act’s broad definition of
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