John Walker v. George Deeds

WILLIAM A. NORRIS, Circuit Judge:

In 1988, John Walker shoplifted $93.41 worth of cologne and cigarettes from a Nevada supermarket. Under Nevada law at that time, the minimum value of property necessary for grand larceny was $100.00. Walker was charged with felony grand larceny for stealing the $93.41 worth of goods and for aiding and abetting a co-defendant who shoplifted $31.77 worth of goods. He was convicted of felony grand larceny. 1

Walker had three prior felony convictions for minor property crimes. Though the maximum sentence for petty larceny (which Walker exceeded by $25.18) was six…