Supreme Court Considers Whether A Sock Is Drug Paraphernalia
This one is interesting because it involves immigration, drugs...
The government's argument that these paraphernalia convictions all justify deportation was greeted by the justices with unabashed incredulity.
"Because of the sock," the crime justifies deportation, asked a wide-eyed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
"Do you think a sock is more than tenuously related to these federal drugs?" piled on Justice Antonin Scalia.
If we look back to the charging documents, they "don't say anything about drugs," chimed in Justice Stephen Breyer.
"Paraphernalia offenses are generally extremely minor offenses — they're not felonies," noted Justice Elena Kagan. They're misdemeanors that prosecutors use "when they don't want to charge a more serious offense."
This one is interesting because it involves immigration, drugs...
The government's argument that these paraphernalia convictions all justify deportation was greeted by the justices with unabashed incredulity.
"Because of the sock," the crime justifies deportation, asked a wide-eyed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
"Do you think a sock is more than tenuously related to these federal drugs?" piled on Justice Antonin Scalia.
If we look back to the charging documents, they "don't say anything about drugs," chimed in Justice Stephen Breyer.
"Paraphernalia offenses are generally extremely minor offenses — they're not felonies," noted Justice Elena Kagan. They're misdemeanors that prosecutors use "when they don't want to charge a more serious offense."
