Florida Man Wins Reversal of Federal Robbery, Murder Convictions

A Florida man found guilty of killing two men during a 2020 drug robbery won an appeal Monday to undo two of his three convictions.

Under the federal Hobbs Act, robbery is defined as the unlawful taking of property “by means of actual or threatened force.” The use of force or threatened force must be “before or during the taking,” the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit said.

Although the “modern view” of robbery includes takings that involve force or threats of force that occur later, like when an offender is in flight, that wasn’t the prevalent view ...