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Second Circuit Clarifies What Constitutes ‘Possession of a Dangerous Weapon’ and ‘Physical Restraint’ Under the Guidelines
Loaded on Feb. 15, 2021
by Dale Chappell
published in Criminal Legal News
March, 2021, page 39
Filed under:
U.S. Sentencing Guidelines,
Dangerous Weapons,
Physical Injury/Restraint.
Location:
New York.
by Dale Chappell
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that merely gesturing with a hand that a defendant possessed a gun during a robbery and ordering bystanders into a room was not enough to warrant two enhancements under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines (“USSG”).
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More from this issue:
- Qualified Immunity - A Legal, Practical, and Moral Failure, by Jay Schweikert
- Ninth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Suit Challenging Idaho’s Sex Offender Registration Law, by Douglas Ankney
- Column: Raising Successful Federal Habeas Corpus Claims, by Dale Chappell
- Tenth Circuit Vacates Enhancement for Prior Crime of Violence Because it Wasn’t Independently Eligible to Receive Criminal History Points, by Anthony Accurso
- California Court of Appeal: Trial Court Abused Discretion by Denying Romero Motion and Life Sentence for Attempted Robbery Is Cruel and Unusual Under State Constitution, by Douglas Ankney
- Third Circuit Announces Prohibition Against Second Resentencing Under First Step Act Can Be Waived by Government, by Matthew Clarke
- California Court of Appeal: Counsel Ineffective for Failure to Investigate Mental Health History, by Douglas Ankney
- Seventh Circuit Joins Other Circuits Holding Any Crack Cocaine Offense Under § 841 Qualifies for First Step Act Relief, by Dale Chappell
- Michigan Supreme Court: Police Must Limit Search of Cellphone Data to Uncovering Evidence of the Criminal Activity Alleged in Warrant, by Douglas Ankney
- Fifth Circuit: No Qualified Immunity When Police Fatally Beat Unresisting Man Suffering Mental Health Crisis, by Matthew Clarke
- North Carolina Supreme Court: Superior Court Abused Discretion by Flatly Prohibiting Questions on Racial Bias During Voir Dire, by Douglas Ankney
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Witness Testifying Remotely Via Two-Way Video Without Sufficient Reason Violates Confrontation Clause, by Douglas Ankney
- Fifth Circuit: District Court Cannot Delegate to Probation Officer Authority to Impose Inpatient Treatment, by Douglas Ankney
- Kansas Supreme Court: Wrong Standard Used in Review of Plea Withdrawal Motion Requires Remand, by David Reutter
- Indiana Supreme Court: Speedy Trial Right Violated After 6.5 Years Without Retrial, by Anthony Accurso
- Raid on Data Scientist’s Home Underscores Outdated Technology Laws and Unjustifiable Police Use of Force, by Anthony Accurso
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- Texas Supreme Court Announces Factual-Sufficiency Standard of Review in SVP Determinations, by Douglas Ankney
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- Second Circuit Clarifies What Constitutes ‘Possession of a Dangerous Weapon’ and ‘Physical Restraint’ Under the Guidelines, by Dale Chappell
- Ohio Supreme Court: Jury Must Find Use of Force, Not Sentencing Court, for Mandatory Minimum Sentences, by Anthony Accurso
- San Francisco Forensic Analyst’s Arrest on Drug Charges Exposes Flawed Lab, by Derek Gilna
- Montana Supreme Court: Five-Year Delay Violates Speedy Trial and Is Presumptively Prejudicial, by Douglas Ankney
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- The Need for Legislation Governing Police Use of Robots, by Douglas Ankney
- News in Brief
More from Dale Chappell:
- Arguing Successful Federal Habeas Corpus Claims, June 1, 2025
- How to Take Your Postconviction Case Directly to the U.S. Supreme Court: A Roadmap to Direct Collateral Review, March 15, 2025
- Federal Habeas Corpus for State Prisoners: Proving Unreasonableness Under AEDPA, Feb. 1, 2025
- Federal Court Rules Michigan’s Sex Offender Registration Laws Violate Constitution, Dec. 1, 2024
- Refuting the Government’s Argument Against Nonretroactive Changes in Law as Grounds for Compassionate Release, Oct. 1, 2024
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Getting Around Procedural Default, July 15, 2024
- The Death of the Savings Clause, May 15, 2024
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Understanding Second or Successive Petitions for State Prisoners, April 15, 2024
- Fourth Circuit Reinstates Relief From Death Penalty, Citing State’s Forfeiture of Argument Against Relief, May 15, 2023
- Federal Habeas Corpus: The Evidentiary Hearing for Federal Prisoners, April 15, 2023
More from these topics:
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- Third Circuit Rejects U.S. Sentencing Commission Amended Compassionate Release Policy, July 15, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Compassionate Release.
- First Circuit Revives Rhode Island Prisoner’s Excessive Force Claim Against Guard, July 15, 2025. Showers, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Restraints, Physical Injury/Restraint.
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- First Circuit Announces What Constitutes ‘Otherwise Using’ a Dangerous Weapon for Purposes of the Four-Level Enhancement Under Guidelines § 2B3.1(a), May 15, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Probation, Sentence Enhancements/Departures.
- ACLU Sues BOP Over Failure to Implement First Step Act Release Credits, May 1, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, First Step Act, Bureau of Prisons (BOP).
- Arkansas Supreme Court Rules § 16-93-609(b)(2)(B), Relating to Parole Eligibility for Residential Burglary Conviction, Applies Retroactively to Defendant, April 15, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Resentencing, Bank Fraud/Robbery/Theft, Probation, Parole & Supervised Release, Eligibility for Parole.
- Virginia Parole Board Skirts New Transparency Rules, Governor Walks Back Expanded Sentence Credits—Again, March 1, 2025. Local Rules, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Probation, Parole & Supervised Release, Credits.
- Fourth Circuit Revives Claims Against Virginia Jailers by Detainee They Allegedly Manhandled While Handcuffed, Feb. 15, 2025. Videotaping, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Restraints, Summary Judgment, Physical Injury/Restraint.