United States v. Freed

United States v. Freed, 401 U.S. 601 (1971), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held the National Firearms Act's registration requirements do not violate the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Additionally, the Court held that the Act's restrictions against a person's "receiv[ing] or possess[ing] a firearm which is not registered to him," did not require the recipient to have the specific intent to possess an unregistered firearm. Consequently, the Court ruled that the buyer of unregistered hand grenades was subject to criminal liability, despite a lack of a requirement that the defendant have had a "specific intent or knowledge that the hand grenades were unregistered."

United States v. Freed
Argued January 11, 1971
Decided April 5, 1971
Full case nameUnited States v. Freed, et al.
Citations401 U.S. 601 (more)
91 S. Ct. 1112; 28 L. Ed. 2d 356; 1971 U.S. LEXIS 57
Holding
(1) The National Firearm Act's registration requirements do not implicate the Fifth Amendment's privilege against self incrimination. (2) The Act's restrictions against possession of unregistered firearms do not require specific intent.
Court membership
Chief Justice
Warren E. Burger
Associate Justices
Hugo Black · William O. Douglas
John M. Harlan II · William J. Brennan Jr.
Potter Stewart · Byron White
Thurgood Marshall · Harry Blackmun
Case opinions
MajorityDouglas, joined by Burger, Black, Harlan, Stewart, White, Marshall, and Blackmun
ConcurrenceBrennan (in judgment)
Laws applied
U.S. Const. amend. V

Decision of the Court

The Court concluded, "This is a regulatory measure in the interest of the public safety, which may well be premised on the theory that one would hardly be surprised to learn that possession of hand grenades is not an innocent act."[1]

References

  1. United States v. Freed, 401 U.S. 601, 609 (1971).


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