The State of Washington, Respondent v. Johnie Lee Gore, Petitioner

Summary

The court held that a conviction for unlawful firearm possession cannot stand when the predicate felony conviction was reversed for insufficient evidence. It interpreted the firearm statute under the rule of lenity to require a constitutionally valid predicate conviction and held that the lower court was bound by the state's controlling precedent. The court also concluded that applying a newly broadened interpretation of the statute retroactively would violate due process.