McNeill v. United States

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McNeill v. United States (2011) - Easy summary

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled on how to decide if a state-law crime is a "serious drug offense" for federal sentencing under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA).

What happened
- Clifton Terelle McNeill was convicted of unlawful firearm possession and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
- The district court found him to be an armed career criminal and sentenced him under the ACCA to lengthy terms.
- McNeill argued that his drug offenses were not “serious drug offenses” under the ACCA and should not lead to the harsher sentence.

The ruling
- The Court, in a unanimous decision written by Justice Clarence Thomas, held that federal sentencing courts must determine whether a state-law offense is a serious drug offense by looking at the maximum term of imprisonment that offense carried at the time of the defendant’s conviction.
- In short, the relevant question is the maximum punishment available for the offense when the defendant was convicted, not any later changes or interpretations.