Topic: Firearms Violations

After the jury found the defendants not guilty of conspiracy and murder, Judge Walter Smith initially dismissed the weapons charges due to the legal inconsistency of possessing a gun during a crime for which they were acquitted. However, following a weekend filing by federal prosecutors, the judge reinstated the charges and sentenced defendants to up to 40 years. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals later upheld these sentences because the defense had not presented a formal rebuttal during the original trial.