[DOWNLOAD] "Constitutional Law - First Circuit Requires Minimal Commercial Effect for RICO Violations Based on Local Noneconomic Activity." by Suffolk University Law Review ~ eBook PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Constitutional Law - First Circuit Requires Minimal Commercial Effect for RICO Violations Based on Local Noneconomic Activity.
- Author : Suffolk University Law Review
- Release Date : January 22, 2008
- Genre: Law,Books,Professional & Technical,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 283 KB
Description
Constitutional Law--First Circuit Requires Minimal Commercial Effect for RICO Violations Based on Local Noneconomic Activity--United States v. Nascimento, 491 F.3d 25 (1st Cir. 2007), petition for cert. filed, No. 07-7925 (U.S. Nov. 26, 2007) In 1970, Congress passed the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), allowing federal prosecutors leeway in bringing criminal charges against associates of organized crime enterprises. (1) To secure a RICO conviction, the government must prove five elements, one of which is that the enterprise's activities affect interstate commerce. (2) In United States v. Nascimento, (3) the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit considered whether to uphold the appellants' RICO convictions where the appellants were members of a local gang whose purpose was to assault and murder rival gang members. (4) The First Circuit upheld the convictions and, purposefully splitting from the Sixth Circuit, concluded that RICO requires only a minimal effect on interstate commerce for local, noneconomic crimes. (5)