United States v. Leahy

SELYA, Circuit Judge.

This appeal calls upon us to confront a question explicitly reserved in United States v. Diaz, 285 F.3d 92, 97 (1st Cir. 2002), concerning the allocation of the burden of proof when a criminal defendant in a federal felon-in-possession case attempts to exonerate himself by claiming that he took possession of the firearm purely in self-defense. 1 We hold that there is a justification defense available in felon-in-possession cases, which typically encompasses duress, necessity, and self-defense. Relatedly, we hold that where, as here, proof of the justification defense does…