Missouri third-degree assault not an ACCA predicate violent felony

In a per curiam decision in (Derrick) Johnson v. United States today, the Sixth Circuit holds that Missouri third-degree assault does not require the requisite level of force to be considered a violent felony under the Armed Career Criminal Act. The panel (a lucky draw by any standards) noted that under Missouri law, the third-degree statute could be satisfied by merely "[s]neezing at someone with the intent to transmit a minor illness." Accordingly, it did not meet the violent physical force required by the ACCA. Bless you.