DePierre v. United States

DePierre v. United States, 564 U.S. 70 (2011), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that the use of the term "cocaine base" in 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)[1] refers to cocaine in its chemically basic form.[2] The decision of the Court was unanimous, except with respect to part III-A.

DePierre v. United States
Argued February 28, 2011
Decided June 9, 2011
Full case nameFrantz DePierre, Petitioner v. United States
Docket no.09-1533
Citations564 U.S. 70 (more)
131 S. Ct. 2225; 180 L. Ed. 2d 114
ArgumentOral argument
Case history
PriorConviction affirmed, 599 F.3d 25 (1st Cir. 2010); cert. granted, 562 U.S. ___ (2010).
Holding
The term "cocaine base" in 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1) refers to cocaine in its chemically basic form.
Court membership
Chief Justice
John Roberts
Associate Justices
Antonin Scalia · Anthony Kennedy
Clarence Thomas · Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Stephen Breyer · Samuel Alito
Sonia Sotomayor · Elena Kagan
Case opinions
MajoritySotomayor, joined by Roberts, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, Alito, Kagan; Scalia (except part III–A)
ConcurrenceScalia
Laws applied
21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)

Background

A federal court found Frantz DePierre guilty of distributing cocaine in April 2008. Additionally, DePierre was found guilty of distributing more than 50 grams of "cocaine base, which carries a 10-year minimum sentence." Following this conviction, DePierre was sentenced to 10 years in a federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. Two years later, the US Court of Appeals upheld the sentencing,

Question Before the Court

Does the term "cocaine base" cover a broad spectrum of cocaine defined chemically as a base, or is the term specifically limited to the use and distribution of "crack" cocaine?[3]

Decision of the Court

In a unanimous decision, Justice Sotomayor wrote the opinion of the Court defining cocaine base as not just crack cocaine, but any substance that contains "cocaine in its chemically basic form."[4]

Concurring Opinion

Justice Scalia wrote a brief, humorous concurring opinion arguing that the Court's look into legislative history is unneeded and potentially harmful.

See also

References
  1. 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1).
  2. DePierre v. United States Opinion p. 1 "This case requires us to decide whether the term “cocaine base” as used in [21 U.S.C. §841(b)(1)] refers generally to cocaine in its chemically basic form or exclusively to what is colloquially known as “crack cocaine.” We conclude that “cocaine base” means the former."
  3. "DePierre v. United States". Oyez: Chicago-Kent College of Law. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  4. "DePierre v. United States". Justia: The US Supreme Court Center. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
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