Walker v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

9 state decisions

Most-quoted passages

The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 9 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “First, in evaluating the relevance of prior bad acts to the crime charged, we have consistently noted that events remote in time from the charged incident have less relevance in proving later intent. We conclude that the events here, which are six and ten years old, are clearly remote in time, and thus are less relevant to [defendant's] intent at the time she shot [her husband]. Further, although the prior bad acts involve similar conduct towards the eventual victim in this case, we conclude that there is a crucial distinction between [defendant's] prior conduct and the charged conduct. Namely, [defendant's] prior acts do not involved [sic] the firing or attempted firing of the weapon at [her husband]. Importantly, [defendant] was tried for first-degree murder, a specific intent crime requiring, in addition to premeditation and deliberation, willful action that we have said requires an intent to kill. Therefore, because the prior bad acts offered here do not clearly establish an intent to kill, but more accurately show an intent to threaten, the logical relevance of the acts to show [defendant's] later intent is further diminished.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 780 So. 2d 106 - Robertson v. State

2. “[A]lthough the prior bad acts involve similar conduct toward the eventual victim in this case, we conclude that there is a crucial distinction between [the defendant's] prior conduct and the charged conduct. Namely, [defendant's] prior acts do not involved [sic] the firing or attempted firing of the weapon at [her husband].”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 829 So. 2d 901 - Robertson v. State

3. “the firing or attempted firing of the weapon at [the victim]. ... Therefore, because the prior bad acts offered here do not clearly establish an intent to kill, but more accurately show an intent to threaten, the logical relevance of the acts to show [the defendant's] later intent is further diminished.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. State v. Chyung