Bennett v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

2 federal appellate · 40 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 44 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “(1) “There’s a problem in this country and has a lot to do with being white. There’s too many people with ugly skin.” (2) I need to kill somebody or tear someone apart. I got to satisfy my need, cure this thirst for blood. So as I make the sacrifice by doing it just for you and kill this child, for it is a first born, I’m giving you my soul, Satan. Where is my reward? My thirst for blood is now calm, but it shall rise again. My power is so strong I need to cause some death. For Lucifer’s inside of me, and I don’t want to let him out. I look in the mirror, I see him in my eyes. I feel his heart beating in my chest, and I know it is not mine. For I feel so privileged for I’m with number one. I’m so f-’ powerful and my reigning has just begun as I kill and kill again. I feel my rewards come on. My power’s growing even greater. I’m so f-’ strong for I am the devil’s right-hand man. I carry out his every chore. I make this sacrifice in his name, Lucifer the Great, blood splattered on my face from the kill I’ve just done.” (3) “Someone gonna, someone’s gonna die.””

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

2. “You are instructed that the following factors are circumstances by which murder of the first degree may be aggravated: 1. The murder was committed while the defendant was engaged in the commission of or an attempt to commit or flight after committing or attempting to commit Kidnapping in the First Degree. 2. The murder was committed while the defendant was engaged in the commission of or an attempt to commit or flight after committing or attempting to commit sexual assault.”

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

3. “A logical reading of the statute [NRS 200.033(4)] requires that each felony be used as an aggravating circumstance. First degree murder is aggravated when it is committed during the course of one of the enumerated felonies contained in NRS 200.033(4). Therefore, when the murder is committed during the course of more than one of the felonies listed, the murder is more aggravated and heinous than it would have been if only one of the felonies were present.”

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