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STAPLES v. UNITED STATES

No. 92-1441.

511 U.S. 600 (1994)

114 S.Ct. 1793

128 L.Ed.2d 608

STAPLES v. UNITED STATES

Supreme Court of United States.

Decided May 23, 1994.

Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Jennifer L. De Angelis argued the cause for petitioner. With her on the brief was Clark O. Brewster.

James A. Feldman argued the cause for the United States. With him on the brief were Solicitor General Days, Acting Assistant Attorney General Keeney, Deputy Solicitor General Bryson, and John F. De Pue.

Thomas, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Rehnquist, C. J., and Scalia, Kennedy, and Souter, JJ., joined. Ginsburg, J., filed an opinion concurring in the judgment, in which O'Connor, J., joined, p. 620. Stevens, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Blackmun, J., joined, p. 624.

Justice Thomas, delivered the opinion of the Court.

The National Firearms Act makes it unlawful for any person to possess a machinegun that is not properly registered with the Federal Government. Petitioner contends that, to convict him under the Act, the Government should have been required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he knew the weapon he possessed had the characteristics that brought it within the statutory definition of a machinegun. We agree and accordingly...

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