There are few more unpleasant words in the English language than the word “discharge.” In two otherwise harmless syllables, it inspires shudders and involuntary wretching. The D.C. Circuit had occasion to investigate the meaning of this word in a decision handed down today about a bank robbery that occurred in the District.

First, a word about the D.C. Circuit. This revered court of appeals has developed a reputation for making some of the most important federal law in the country. It handles appeals related to all of the federal administrative agencies and has, over its 205-year existence, developed a special reputation for sharp judges admirable for both their skill and their ability not to fall asleep while dealing with obscure FERC regulations. Chief Justice John Roberts, himself a veteran of the venerable circuit, recently published an interesting historical article about how the court developed its distinctive character.

The facts in this case won’t make the history books, but they will likely make some law review case comments by aspiring D.C. Circuit law clerks. As the court tells us, Kevin Patrick Luke Brown used a semi-automatic pistol to rob a SunTrust bank in downtown D.C. He threatened the employees with the gun as they stuffed wads of cash into a bag. At one point, Brown shoved the gun into the back of an employee’s head. When the bag was stuffed and Brown went to close it, the gun went off. Brown asked if anyone was hurt. No one was. The bullet had gone into the ceiling. Brown was apprehended just outside the bank.

At trial, the judge instructed the jury that Brown did not have to have discharged the gun “knowingly” in order to qualify for the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years. Today’s opinion reverses that decision.