State v. Robinson’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

39 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 39 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “The disappearance of Yeda Sharon Dede Rosenthal could support the inference of suicide, natural death, accidental death, or continued life in absentia. It can also support the inference that her disappearance was the result of a criminal act that caused or resulted in her death. As to continuing life in absentia, you may[J given the facility of worldwide travel and communications technologyfj properly take into account the unlikelihood of such event in view of the evidence you have heard regarding Ms. Rosenthal’s employment, her family relations, the failure of investigative efforts of the police, family, and friends to locate her, and any other evidence adduced during the course of the trial. []As to a cause of death other than by a criminal act, the fact that Ms. Rosenthal’s body was never found can justify an inference that her death was in fact caused by a criminal act. It is highly unlikely that a person who dies from suicide or from natural causes will successfully dispose of her own body. While such a result may be a theoretical or hypothetical possibility, it is contrary to the normal course of human affairs. Therefore, in order for you to find the defendant guilty of murder and/or felony murder, the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Yeda Sharon Dede Rosenthal was the victim of a homicide and is, therefore, dead. It is not necessary for the State to produce the body of Yeda Sharon Dede Rosenthal in order to establish her death[J provided that you are sat”

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

2. “In instructing the jury on those theories, the trial court stated: What is in contention is the third element. Remember that the third element is that [defendant] knowingly caused Ma’D harm that would make Ma’D an abused or neglected child. I’ve just told you what knowingly is, and with regards to whether Ma’D was an abused or neglected child, the State makes two separate contentions, and I’ve read you those legal definitions, but I would suggest that for the first the State contends that [defendant] inflicted the injuries to Ma’D’s head as described by Dr. Hoyer this morning or that she failed to properly supervise Ma’D resulting in the injuries to his head. [Defendant] denies inflicting any injury on Ma’D or failing to properly supervise him. The second possible prong for the third element is where the State contends that [defendant] abandoned Ma’D on the — in the early — I’m sorry — on the evening of June 8th, 1995 while she went into Penns Grove. [Defendant] asserts that she did not abandon Ma’D and that she left him in the care of Richard Patterson. For the State to meet the burden of proof on the third element, they must prove to you beyond a reasonable doubt that either of the two exists. They do not have to prove both of them. So if you’re convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the State has proved its contentions with regards to [defendant] inflicting injuries on Ma’D or not — or failing to supervise him so that the injuries resulted, that’s sufficient, or if you f”

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

3. “[c]onsidering the instructions in their entirety, in the context of the evidence and the arguments of trial counsel, [I am] convinced that the charge [that was given in this case] was fair.”

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