United States v. Quaintance

MURPHY, Circuit Judge.

Defendants Joseph Allen Butts, Danuel Dean Quaintance, and Mary Helen Quain-tance were indicted for conspiracy to possess and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. 1 The defendants moved to dismiss the indictment, arguing the prosecution constituted a substantial burden on the exercise of their religion in violation of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (“RFRA”). 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000bb-2000bb-4. The district court denied the motion and granted the government’s motion in limine barring the defendants from raising a RFRA defense at trial. The defendants filed…