No. 25-7041

Danzel Mackins v. United States

Lower Court: Second Circuit
Docketed: 2026-03-16
Status: Pending
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: appellate-review constitutional-challenge felon-in-possession firearm-possession plain-error-review second-amendment
Latest Conference: 2026-04-17
Question Presented (from Petition)

Whether the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit erred by applying its plain error standard to affirm the judgment of conviction and sentence pronounced by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on his plea of guilty to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), based on that court's decision in Zherka v. Bondi, 140 F.4th 68, 74–75, 93 (2d Cir. 2025), cert. denied, No. 25-269, ___ U.S. ___, 2026 U.S. LEXIS 608 (Jan. 20, 2026), in which the Second Circuit held that § 922(g)(1) was constitutional both on its face and as applied to convicted felons with nonviolent predicate crimes of conviction, notwithstanding precedent from this Court which rendered obsolete the Second Circuit's prior decisions upholding the constitutionality of the felon in possession statute. This petition asks the Court to resolve the split among the lower courts regarding the facial constitutionality of § 922(g)(1).

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit erred by applying its plain error standard to affirm a conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) based on the court's holding that the felon-in-possession statute is constitutional both facially and as applied to convicted felons with nonviolent predicate offenses, notwithstanding intervening Supreme Court precedent

Docket Entries

2026-04-02
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 4/17/2026.
2026-03-30
Waiver of United States of right to respond submitted.
2026-03-30
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2026-03-09
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due April 15, 2026)

Attorneys

Danzel Mackins
Peter J TomaoPeter J. Tomao, Esq., Petitioner
United States
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent