Zone of Death (Yellowstone)

The Zone of Death is the 50-square-mile (130 km2) area in the Idaho section of Yellowstone National Park in which, as a result of a reported loophole in the Constitution of the United States, a person may be able to theoretically avoid conviction for any major crime, up to and including murder.

[6] The constitutional loophole in this area was discovered by Michigan State University law professor Brian C. Kalt while he was planning to write an essay about technicalities of the Sixth Amendment, which entitles criminal defendants to a fair and quick trial.

[7] Kalt wondered about a hypothetical place where there were not enough eligible citizens to form a jury and theorized that there could be no trial and therefore no punishment for major crimes in that area.

[8] Popular discussion has often alleged that crime is "legal" in the Zone, though Kalt has clarified that the problem instead represents "a reason why it might be harder to prosecute someone for it successfully".

[8] Although missing person cases nearby have attracted some media attention, no known felonies have been committed in the Zone of Death since Kalt's discovery, as of 2025.