No. 22-7455

Vernon Lee Wheeler v. United States

Lower Court: Fifth Circuit
Docketed: 2023-05-04
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP Experienced Counsel
Tags: constitutional-claim divisibility federal-appeals-court federal-court-of-appeals juror-unanimity means-versus-elements state-law statutory-interpretation
Key Terms:
HabeasCorpus JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2023-06-01
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether a federal court of appeals may declare a crime 'divisible' based on its own interpretation of statutory language if the state's own appellate courts have held the alternatives are means rather than elements

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED 1. When deciding whether “state law” provides “clear answers” about divisibility and juror unanimity, Mathis v. United States, 579 U.S. 500, 517-18 (2016), may a federal court of appeals declare a crime “divisible” based on its own interpretation of statutory language if the state’s own appellate courts have held that the alternatives are means rather than elements? 2. May a federal court of appeals refuse to consider a constitutional claim raised after briefing was completed where the U.S. Government first conceded the constitutional violation in other litigation months after the principal briefs were filed. Il DIRECTLY

Docket Entries

2023-06-05
Petition DENIED.
2023-05-17
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/1/2023.
2023-05-11
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2023-05-02
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due June 5, 2023)

Attorneys

United States
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent
Vernon Lee Wheeler, et al.
James Matthew WrightOffice of the Federal Public Defender, Petitioner
James Matthew WrightOffice of the Federal Public Defender, Petitioner