The Supreme Court ruled Monday against two Maine men who were caught with guns in violation of a federal statute.
Both Stephen Voisine of Wytopitlock and William Armstrong III of New Vineyard had misdemeanor domestic assault convictions.
Congress passed a statute 20 years ago to extend a ban on gun ownership by felons to include people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence charges in state courts. But Voisine and Armstrong appealed on the basis that their convictions involved mere “reckless behavior,” which, they argued, fell short of a “use of force” element of the federal law.
Both men pleaded guilty to federal charges, then appealed to the First Circuit Court of Appeals. Those appeals failed, but the men appealed to the Supreme Court.
“Nothing in the phrase use … of physical force indicates that [the federal law] distinguishes between domestic assaults committed knowingly or intentionally, and those committed recklessly,” says Justice Elena Kagan, writing for a 6-2 majority.
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a dissent joined, in part, by Justice Sonya Sotomayor. Thomas surprised court observers by questioning attorneys during oral argument, the first time he had done that in a decade.
