Latest Case: United States v. Karani (Criminal Law)

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United States v. Karani

Docket: 19-1031

Opinion Date: January 4, 2021

Judge: Kermit Victor Lipez

Areas of Law: Criminal Law

The First Circuit affirmed Defendant's conviction of two counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm and one count of making a false statement in a record required to be kept by federal law, holding that there was no reversible error in the jury instructions. On appeal, Defendant argued that his convictions must be vacated because of prejudicial errors in the jury instructions. The First Circuit affirmed, holding (1) the district court properly and accurately instructed the jury on the legal meaning of he term "gift" and did not direct a verdict on any element of the offense or otherwise invade the province of the jury; (2) there was no error in the court's "actual purchaser" instruction; and (3) there was no reversible plain error in instructing the jury on the first count of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm.