Cite as: 524 U. S. 184 (1998)
Opinion of the Court
States v. Bailey, 444 U. S. 394 (1980), we held that the prosecution fulfills its burden of proving a knowing violation of the escape statute "if it demonstrates that an escapee knew his actions would result in his leaving physical confinement without permission." Id., at 408. And in Staples v. United States, 511 U. S. 600 (1994), we held that a charge that the defendant's possession of an unregistered machinegun was unlawful required proof "that he knew the weapon he possessed had the characteristics that brought it within the statutory definition of a machinegun." Id., at 602. It was not, however, necessary to prove that the defendant knew that his possession was unlawful. See Rogers v. United States, 522 U. S. 252, 254-255 (1998) (plurality opinion). Thus, unless the text of the statute dictates a different result,15 the
term "knowingly" merely requires proof of knowledge of the facts that constitute the offense.
With respect to the three categories of conduct that are made punishable by § 924 if performed "knowingly," the background presumption that every citizen knows the law makes it unnecessary to adduce specific evidence to prove that "an evil-meaning mind" directed the "evil-doing hand." 16
More is required, however, with respect to the conduct in the fourth category that is only criminal when done "willfully." The jury must find that the defendant acted with an evil-meaning mind, that is to say, that he acted with knowledge that his conduct was unlawful.
Petitioner next argues that we must read § 924(a)(1)(D) to require knowledge of the law because of our inter-of such a regulation its ignorance would constitute a defense." Boyce Motor Lines, Inc. v. United States, 342 U. S. 337, 345 (1952).
15 Liparota v. United States, 471 U. S. 419 (1985), was such a case. We there concluded that both the term "knowing" in 7 U. S. C. § 2024(c) and the term "knowingly" in § 2024(b)(1) literally referred to knowledge of the law as well as knowledge of the relevant facts. See id., at 428-430.
16 Justice Jackson's translation of the terms mens rea and actus reus is found in his opinion for the Court in Morissette v. United States, 342 U. S. 246, 251 (1952).
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