United States Ninth Circuit

A prior conviction for a violation of California Vehicle Code section 10851(a), which criminalizes "theft and unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle," does not necessarily qualify as an aggravated felony within the meaning of U.S.S.G. section 2L1.2(b)(1)(C) and 8 U.S.C. section 1101(a)(43)(G), because section 10851(a) extends to accessories after the fact and the generic theft offense only reaches principals and other similar offenders.

Appellate Information

• Argued 06/20/2007
• Decided 10/10/2007
• Published 10/10/2007

Judges

• Before:  MARY M. SCHROEDER, Chief Circuit Judge, STEPHEN REINHARDT, ALEX KOZINSKI, HAWKINS, SIDNEY R. THOMAS, KIM McLANE WARDLAW, W. FLETCHER, RAYMOND C. FISHER, RONALD M. GOULD, RICHARD A. PAEZ, RICHARD C. TALLMAN, RICHARD R. CLIFTON, JAY S. BYBEE, CONSUELO M. CALLAHAN, and CARLOS T. BEA, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Vincent J. Brunkow, Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc., San Diego, CA, for the appellant., Christopher J. Meade, Janet R. Carter, Shauna Burgess, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP, New York, NY, as amicus curiae in support of appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Karen P. Hewiit, U.S. Attorney, Bruce R. Castetter, Assistant U.S. Attorney, and Mark R. Rehe, Assistant U.S. Attorney, San Diego, CA, for the appellee.