Today, the Supreme Court of the United States granted certiorari in one case:
Barrett v. United States, No. 24-5774: A jury convicted Dwayne Barrett of robbery under the Hobbs Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1951, which prohibits actual or attempted robbery or extortion affecting interstate or foreign commerce. Barrett was also convicted of violating 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), which prohibits using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence or drug trafficking, and 18 U.S.C. § 924(j), which imposes an additional penalty for murder or manslaughter during a Section 924(c) offense. Barrett’s conviction and sentence were affirmed by the Second Circuit, and Barrett sought Supreme Court review, claiming a split among the federal circuit courts of appeals on whether cumulative punishments for Section 924(c) and (j) offenses arising out of the same conduct violate the Double Jeopardy Clause. The question presented is: Whether the Fifth Amendment Double Jeopardy Clause permits two sentences for unlawful taking of property for an act that violates 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) and (j).