188 So. 2d 320 - Williams v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

33 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 33 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “"In order for a confession to be admissible to go before the jury, it must have been freely and voluntarily made, and not influenced directly or indirectly by any threat, promise, fear, hope, coercion, extortion, or other illegal inducement. Other anesthetizing influences which might under certain circumstances condemn a confession, in what has been characterized as a `totality of circumstances', are: systematic, persistent, prolonged interrogation; unlawful detention; failure to inform the accused of his right to decline to make a statement, and other organic rights; mental incapacity; degenerate character; ignorance and age, either youth or senility. * * *"”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Wade v. State · 373 So. 2d 372 - Cason v. State

2. “"* * * `air out' all the facts and circumstances surrounding the giving of such statement. This would include statements made by the parties, the acts and doings of the participants, the conditions and general atmosphere prevailing at the time and place the confession was made, the physical and mental condition of the defendant, and the many other innumerable factors that would logically go into the matter of determining the admissibility of the statement."”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Dodd v. State · Colebrook v. State

3. “* * * Percy A. Mong, the deceased was an elderly man who owned and operated a grocery store located about seven miles from Dade City, Florida. Sometime between 8:30 and 9:00 on the morning of January 8, 1965, Mrs. Oliver, a neighbor of Mr. Mong, heard two sounds like firecrackers exploding coming from the direction of the Mong grocery. Mrs. Oliver paid no particular attention to the sound but did notice that immediately thereafter a green and white Chevrolet automobile, driven by a young colored man alone in the car, drove away from the direction of the store at a high rate of speed. Thereafter, Mrs. Oliver got into her car and drove next door to the grocery store to check on Mr. Mong, which was her custom before leaving the vicinity. She stopped and parked the car outside the store, went to the front door, pushed it open and called to Mr. Mong a couple of times but received no response. Fearing that something might have happened, she ran to a neighbor's home on the other side of the Mong residence, called to a neighbor and upon getting no response returned to the store. Thereafter, Mrs. Oliver opened the front door and went in and called Mr. Mong. At first, there was no sound, but when she called him a second time, she heard a groan or moan at the rear of the store. Upon investigation she found Mr. Mong lying behind the counter with his head and shoulder on a stack of paper bags. At this point, Mrs. Oliver inquired: "What happened, Mr. Mong?”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 198 So. 2d 21 - State v. Williams