United States v. Raymond Jayson Simpson

Petitioner United States (“the government”) appeals the District Court of Arizona’s dismissal of its indictment charging appellee Raymond Simpson with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). The government argues the district court improperly relied on the underlying facts of Simpson’s previous felony conviction, rather than on the “categorical approach,” to find that Simpson’s conviction did not constitute a “felony involving violence” under Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.) § 13-3101(5)(b) (1989). 1 We conclude that because Simpson had his civil…