I’m Kayla. I’m a real person who reads cases for work, for school, and sometimes for fun. Weird, I know. I used Delligatti v. United States in a writing project and later in a mock trial workshop. It stuck with me, so here’s my take.
So, what’s this case?
Quick picture: it’s a federal case about a mob crew, a murder-for-hire plot, and racketeering (that’s RICO—think “a group acting like a business to do crimes”). The plan was ugly. Calls were made. A car was used. The feds stepped in. Most of the charges held up on appeal. If you want the scene-by-scene walkthrough, check out my longer case brief of Delligatti v. United States.
Do you need all the gritty facts? Not really. What matters is this: the court said using a phone can count as using a “facility of interstate commerce.” That’s a key piece for murder-for-hire charges. Phones move signals across networks, so even a local call can count. Wild, but it’s common now.
Think about it this way: if someone posts a quick classifieds ad for companionship and it gets indexed on Backpage San Dimas, the listing travels through out-of-state servers before popping up on a local phone—textbook interstate commerce in action. Check out an example of how that looks in real time to see how a hyper-local offer is delivered through a nationwide pipeline, making the “interstate” concept instantly tangible.
How I actually used it
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Real example 1: I helped a friend prep for a crim law exam. We built a simple chart: who called whom, when, and why it mattered. We drew a line between the calls and the “facility” element of the statute. When the prof tossed a hypo about a burner phone, we had a clean answer: yes, a phone can meet the element. This case helped me say that with a straight face.
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Real example 2: In a clinic memo, I had to explain venue (where a case can be tried). I pulled notes from this case to show that if parts of a scheme happen in more than one place, the government can often pick a district that fits. I color-coded the acts (calls, meetups, travel), and the timeline finally made sense. It’s the first time a venue map made my client nod.
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Real example 3: I ran a teen mock trial night at the library. We used the case to show how phone records and cooperator testimony can build a story. We pinned call times on a cork board and matched them to text slips. One kid said, “So the phone is the road?” Yes. Exactly. The network is the road. That light-bulb moment reminds me of how Old Chief v. United States shows the power of stipulating to keep a narrative clean.
What worked for me
- Clear on the “facility” point. If you work with 18 U.S.C. § 1958 (murder-for-hire), this helps you explain the phone piece without fuss.
- Solid for RICO basics. It shows how an “enterprise” can be a loose group with roles, not just a formal club. Think group chat, but with rules and a boss.
- Good for teaching. The facts are rough, but they’re concrete. You can build a clean timeline from the opinion. That’s rare.
What bugged me
- It’s dense. You might need a second coffee. I tabbed sections with sticky notes—“facts,” “venue,” “facility,” “RICO”—or I’d lose my place.
- Heavy deference to the jury. That’s normal, but it can feel tilted. (I had the same mixed feelings when I unpacked Tanner v. United States last semester.)
- The “phones count” logic feels broad. True, the law says so. Still, part of me wishes it drew a slightly tighter line. That’s my small gripe.
Tiny but helpful tips
- Make a timeline with three tracks: calls, travel, money. Put star marks where acts cross districts. Venue gets easier fast. If you want to see a playful example of how geographic plotting can instantly reveal patterns—even in totally non-legal subject matter—take a spin through Milf Maps where an interactive map pins locations in real time; seeing how datapoints cluster on that site will give you ideas for turning raw call logs into a visual that pops.
- When teaching, swap “enterprise” for “crew with a job chart.” Kids get it in one beat.
- If you brief cases, write the rule in one line: “Using a phone can meet the interstate facility element for murder-for-hire.” Done.
- If you feel shaky on intent, flip through Morissette v. United States—it nails mens rea in one go.
Who should read this
- Law students who need a clean example of RICO and murder-for-hire.
- Reporters who want a grounded feel for how the feds build these cases.
- True crime folks who like evidence maps and call records.
- Public defenders and prosecutors—sorry, both sides—but you’ll use parts of it. And if you want a classic on prosecutorial overreach, circle back to Berger v. United States for a quick gut-check.
A small detour (that still helps)
I tested the “phone as facility” idea with a real, low-tech drill. I took a spare phone, made a few local calls, and pulled the carrier log from my account dashboard. Then I showed a student how those tiny entries can stitch a story. No glam tech. Just time stamps and a printer. The point landed: small data points can carry big weight in court.
For an engaging narrative that shows exactly how those slivers of evidence snowball into headline cases, take a look at Neck Deep.
My bottom line
I’d keep Delligatti in my toolkit. It’s not light reading, but it’s useful. It gives you a steady rule on phones, a decent walk-through on RICO, and a way to think about venue with a pen and a map. I’ve already used it three times in real work. I’ll use it again.
If you’re short on time, read the facts, grab the rule on “facility,” and mark the venue bits. That’ll cover most of what you’ll need. And yes, bring a highlighter. You’ll thank yourself later.