The difference between state and federal jurisdiction for Arizona crimes

With the recent Tucson shootings of a federal court judge and United States representative Gabrielle Giffords, there has been some discussion in the media regarding federal jurisdiction of crimes and state jurisdictions of crimes in Arizona.

The basic underpinnings of this difference is that the federal government can only prosecute crimes that are committed against the United States or that affect interstate commerce. Any other crimes are the sole jurisdiction of the state, which in this case the state of Arizona.

For example, in Tucson and shooting case, the United States is prosecuting the shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, for killing a federal court judge, killing a federal employees on official duty, and for the attempted murder of federal employees while on duty. The other murders and attempted murders will be prosecuted by the state of Arizona because they were not federal employees on official duty.

The federal government can also prosecute crimes committed under federal government property, such as federal buildings or military bases or park land. That is why the federal government prosecuted the Oklahoma City bomber, Timothy Mcveigh, when he destroyed courthouse in Oklahoma City. If a civilian drives on a military base and commits a DUI, then the Army, if on an Army base, will prosecute the suspect, in federal court. The JAG officer will wear civilian attire and not his uniform.