18U.S.C.

UnitedStatesCode,2011Edition
Title18CRIMESANDCRIMINALPROCEDURE
PARTICRIMES
CHAPTER13CIVILRIGHTS
Sec.241Conspiracyagainstrights
FromtheU.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice,www.gpo.gov

241.Conspiracyagainstrights
Iftwoormorepersonsconspiretoinjure,oppress,threaten,or
intimidateanypersoninanyState,Territory,Commonwealth,
Possession,orDistrictinthefreeexerciseorenjoymentofany
rightorprivilegesecuredtohimbytheConstitutionorlawsofthe
UnitedStates,orbecauseofhishavingsoexercisedthesame;or
Iftwoormorepersonsgoindisguiseonthehighway,oronthe
premisesofanother,withintenttopreventorhinderhisfree
exerciseorenjoymentofanyrightorprivilegesosecured
Theyshallbefinedunderthistitleorimprisonednotmorethan
tenyears,orboth;andifdeathresultsfromtheactscommittedin
violationofthissectionorifsuchactsincludekidnappingoran
attempttokidnap,aggravatedsexualabuseoranattemptto
commitaggravatedsexualabuse,oranattempttokill,theyshallbe
finedunderthistitleorimprisonedforanytermofyearsorforlife,
orboth,ormaybesentencedtodeath.
(June25,1948,ch.645,62Stat.696;Pub.L.90284,titleI,
103(a),Apr.11,1968,82Stat.75;Pub.L.100690,titleVII,
7018(a),(b)(1),Nov.18,1988,102Stat.4396;Pub.L.103322,
titleVI,60006(a),titleXXXII,320103(a),320201(a),title
XXXIII,330016(1)(L),Sept.13,1994,108Stat.1970,2109,
2113,2147;Pub.L.104294,titleVI,604(b)(14)(A),607(a),
Oct.11,1996,110Stat.3507,3511.)
HistoricalandRevisionNotes
Basedontitle18,U.S.C.,1940ed.,51(Mar.4,1909,ch.321,19,
35Stat.1092).

Clausemakingconspiratorineligibletoholdofficewasomittedas
incongruousbecauseitattachesineligibilitytoholdofficetoaperson
whomaybeaprivatecitizenandwhowasconvictedofconspiracyto
violateaspecificstatute.Thereseemstobenoreasonforimposing
suchapenaltyinthecaseofoneindividualcrime,inviewofthefact
thatothercrimesdonotcarrysuchasevereconsequence.The
experienceoftheDepartmentofJusticeisthatthisunusualpenaltyhas
beenanobstacletosuccessfulprosecutionsforviolationsoftheact.
Mandatorypunishmentprovisionwasrephrasedinthealternative.
Minorchangesinphraseologyweremade.
Amendments
1996Pub.L.104294,607(a),substitutedanyState,Territory,
Commonwealth,Possession,orDistrictforanyState,Territory,or
Districtinfirstpar.
Pub.L.104294,604(b)(14)(A),repealedPub.L.103322,
320103(a)(1).See1994Amendmentnotebelow.
1994Pub.L.103322,330016(1)(L),substitutedTheyshallbe
finedunderthistitleforTheyshallbefinednotmorethan$10,000
inthirdpar.
Pub.L.103322,320201(a),substitutedpersoninanyStatefor
inhabitantofanyStateinfirstpar.
Pub.L.103322,320103(a)(2)(4),inthirdpar.,substituted
resultsfromtheactscommittedinviolationofthissectionorifsuch
actsincludekidnappingoranattempttokidnap,aggravatedsexual
abuseoranattempttocommitaggravatedsexualabuse,oranattempt
tokill,theyshallbefinedunderthistitleorimprisonedforanytermof
yearsorforlife,orbothforresults,theyshallbesubjectto
imprisonmentforanytermofyearsorforlife.
Pub.L.103322,320103(a)(1),whichprovidedforamendment
identicaltoPub.L.103322,330016(1)(L),above,wasrepealedby
Pub.L.104294,604(b)(14)(A).
Pub.L.103322,60006(a),substituted,ormaybesentencedto
death.forperiodatendofthirdpar.
1988Pub.L.100690struckoutofcitizensafterrightsin
sectioncatchlineandsubstitutedinhabitantofanyState,Territory,or

Districtforcitizenintext.
1968Pub.L.90284increasedlimitationonfinesfrom$5,000to
$10,000andprovidedforimprisonmentforanytermofyearsorforlife
whendeathresults.
EffectiveDateof1996Amendment
Amendmentbysection604(b)(14)(A)ofPub.L.104294effective
Sept.13,1994,seesection604(d)ofPub.L.104294,setoutasanote
undersection13ofthistitle.
ShortTitleof1996Amendment
Pub.L.104155,1,July3,1996,110Stat.1392,providedthat:This
Act[amendingsection247ofthistitleandsection10602ofTitle42,
ThePublicHealthandWelfare,enactingprovisionssetoutasanote
undersection247ofthistitle,andamendingprovisionssetoutasa
noteundersection534ofTitle28,JudiciaryandJudicialProcedure]
maybecitedastheChurchArsonPreventionActof1996.