State v. Griffith’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

5 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 5 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “Miguel Acuna Romero was convicted of voluntary manslaughter following a jury trial. The district court sentenced him to a determinate period of fifteen years in the custody of the Board of Correction. A review of the facts is appropriate. On October 29, 1986, shortly after 11:00 p.m., Robert Thompson was crossing a parking lot in Pocatello, Idaho. Romero and a co-defendant, Jerry Griffith, and several other youths were nearby. Thompson was wearing a Halloween mask and made a gesture as he passed the group. Griffith entered into a confrontation with Thompson. Romero soon joined Griffith in this direct confrontation. During the course of this fight, Griffith verbally baited Thompson and then struck him. As the fight continued, Thompson struck Romero. Thereafter, Thompson attempted to retreat but Romero and Griffith continued to press the attack. Eventually Romero and Griffith, acting in concert, knocked Thompson to the ground. From that point on, both Romero and Griffith delivered multiple powerful shoe and boot blows to Thompson's head. These blows were of sufficient force to cause Thompson's death.”

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

2. “had a long history of incorrigible antisocial behavior; Griffith had previously been committed to a youth correction facility and had refused to cooperate in a rehabilitation counseling program; he has a bad temper and is unable to deal with authority; he was a drug user; he has no home and primarily lived in the streets. While incarcerated awaiting his trial in the instant matter, Griffith exhibited antisocial behavior and was involved in fights at the jail.”

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