No. 21-6118

Kevin Folse v. United States

Lower Court: Tenth Circuit
Docketed: 2021-10-28
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: aggravated-battery bodily-injury circuit-split crime-of-violence criminal-law new-mexico sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation unlawful-force violent-crime
Key Terms:
AdministrativeLaw SocialSecurity Securities
Latest Conference: 2021-12-03
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Does New Mexico's aggravated battery statute qualify as a 'crime of violence' under the United States Sentencing Guidelines?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

Question Presented For Review New Mexico courts have held that the state’s aggravated battery statute can be violated by unlawful touching alone. Unlawful touch that results in bodily injury is an element of aggravated battery. The Tenth Circuit believes such an offense nonetheless has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of violent force against the person of another so as to qualify as a ‘crime of violence’ as defined in the United States Sentencing Guidelines section 4B1.2(a)(1). This is so the court said, because the potential result of that touch necessarily means a “stepped-up level of unlawful force” has to be used to commit the offense. It did not cite a New Mexico decision to support its view. Does this decision conflict with the decisions of the First and Fourth Circuits that have held causing injury does not categorically mean violent force was used? Does it also conflict with the decisions of the New Mexico courts which have held the prosecution is not required to prove this degree of force was used? i

Docket Entries

2021-12-06
Petition DENIED. Justice Gorsuch took no part in the consideration or decision of this petition.
2021-11-10
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/3/2021.
2021-11-03
Waiver of right of respondent United States of America to respond filed.
2021-10-25
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due November 29, 2021)

Attorneys

Kevin Folse
John Van ButcherOffice of the Federal Public Defender, Petitioner
United States of America
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent