United States v. Mandujano
United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
499 F.2d 370 (1974)
Relevant factsFree
An undercover officer posing as a narcotics trafficker gave Roy Mandujano (defendant) money to buy heroin after Mandujano claimed he had a reliable source; Mandujano made multiple attempts to locate that source but never succeeded in obtaining the drugs. He was convicted of attempted distribution of heroin and appealed, arguing his conduct amounted only to preparation rather than attempt.
IssueFree
Whether criminal attempt requires a defendant to have acted with criminal culpability and to have taken a substantial step toward committing the crime.