Lane v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

38 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 38 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “The jury may impose a sentence of death only if it finds, beyond a reasonable doubt, that there is at least one aggravating circumstance and further finds that any mitigating circumstances do not outweigh the aggravating circumstances; The applicable circumstances by which murder of the first degree may be aggravated are: 1. The murder was committed by GERALD CARTER LANE who created a great rick [sic] of death to more than one person by means of a weapon or course of action which would normally be hazardous to the lives of more than one person; 2. The murder was committed while GERALD CARTER LANE was engaged in flight after attempting to commit robbery and GERALD CARTER LANE attempted to kill FREDERICK SPRUELL; or that he knew or had reason to know that life would be taken or lethal force used. 3. The murder was committed while GERALD CARTER LANE was engaged in the commission of or flight after committing robbery, and GERALD CARTER LANE killed RAYMOND DUNHAM; or that he knew or had reason to know that life would be taken or lethal force used. 4. The murder was committed upon one or more persons at random and without apparent motive. 5. The murder was committed by GERALD CARTER LANE, for himself or another, to receive money or other thing of monetary value.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the dissent
   e.g. Lane v. State

2. “1. The murder was committed by a person who was previously convicted of a felony involving the use or threat of violence to the person of another, to-wit: Assault With a Deadly Weapon and Robbery. 2. The murder was committed by a person who knowingly created a great risk of death to more than one person by means of a course of action which would normally be hazardous to the lives of more than one person. 3. The murder was committed while the person was engaged in the commission of or an attempt to commit any robbery. 4. The murder involved torture, depravity of mind or the mutilation of the victim.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Wesley v. State

3. “murder was committed upon one or more persons at random and without apparent motive.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Greene v. State