Taylor v. United States

DAVID ANTHONY TAYLOR, PETITIONER v. UNITED STATES
Supreme Court of the United States, Alito, June 20, 2016,
Hobbs Act – Federal Jurisdiction – The commerce element of the Hobbs Act is met where the defendant committed a robbery with the intent to steal drugs or drug proceeds, regardless of whether the drugs were produced purely for intrastate use/sale.

(Dissent- Thomas – The Commerce Clause should not apply to purely intrastate commerce/activity)
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Ocasio v. United States

SAMUEL OCASIO v. UNITED STATES
Supreme Court of the United States, Alito, Filed May 2, 2016,
Conspiracy – Hobbs Act – “a defendant may be convicted of conspiring to violate the Hobbs Act based on proof that he entered into a conspiracy that had as its objective the obtaining of property from another conspirator with his consent and under color of official right.”

(Concur – Breyer – Evans was probably wrongly decided, but stare decisis)
(Dissent – Thomas – Evans was wrongly decided)
(Dissent – Sotomayor with CJ Roberts – Evans was wrongly decided, and we shouldn’t expand its reach)
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