Armstrong v. Commonwealth

In this appeal, we consider whether the Court of Appeals of Virginia correctly determined that in a prosecution for violation of Code § 18.2-308.2, which provides that it is unlawful for a person previously convicted of a felony “to knowingly and intentionally possess . . . any firearm,” the Commonwealth is not required to prove as an element of the offense that the object possessed by the defendant was an “operable” firearm.

BACKGROUND

Under familiar principles of appellate review, we examine the evidence in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth, the prevailing party in the trial,…