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Court Finds Nothing to Fault in Gang Member's Conviction and Sentence

By Candace Hom, Melinda Ghilardi, Nancy Rimmer, Sarah Gannett, Renee Pietropaolo and Tieffa Harper

United States v. Jones, No. 07-2798 (May 20, 2009).The Third Circuit gives broad reign to a district court?s exercise of discretion across a range of jury selection, evidentiary, and sentencing issues in this appeal from a conviction under the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (?VICAR?) statute. The defendant was charged with having joined in a retaliatory, drive-by-type shooting on the orders of higher-ranking members of the Double II Bloods gang in East Orange, New Jersey. One person was injured in the shooting but no one was killed. The defendant was sentenced to 22 years? imprisonment after conviction of, among other offenses, conspiracy to commit murder for the ?purpose of gaining entrance to or maintaining or increasing position in an enterprise engaged in racketeering activity...continue to full post

Full post as published by Third Circuit Blog on May 26, 2009 (boomark / email).