State of Arizona v. Darrel Scott Francis

JUSTICE BOLICK, opinion of the Court:

¶1 We consider in this case whether the state must prove that a defendant knew an item he possessed was "contraband" to convict the defendant under A.R.S. § 13-2505(A) of knowingly possessing contraband while being confined in a correctional facility or transported to it. We hold that when such a defendant possesses an item that is statutorily defined as contraband, the state need prove only that the defendant knowingly possessed the item, not that the defendant knew it was contraband.

BACKGROUND

¶2 In October 2014, officers booked Darrel Scott Francis into…