The U.S. Supreme Court votes, 7-2, in Gamble v. United States to uphold a precedent allowing prosecutions in both federal and state court for the same offenses. The double jeopardy clause in the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution generally does not allow a defendant to be tried twice for the same offense. However, the high court has said that because the federal government and states are independent sovereigns, separation prosecutions for the same offense are allowed.