State v. Diaz’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

2 district · 122 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 124 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “If a person did any of those things specified in [§ 53a-8], he is, in the eyes of the law, just as guilty of the crime charged as though he had directly committed it or directly participated in its commission. Everyone is a party to a crime who actually does some act forming part of it or who assists in its actual commission or the commission of any part of it or who directly or indirectly counsels or procures anyone to commit the crime or to do any act which is a part of it. If there is a joint criminal enterprise, each party to it is criminally responsible for all acts done in furtherance of it. " (Emphasis added.) Shortly thereafter, the court instructed the jury that "[w]here accessory liability is charged, it is not necessary that the state prove the identity of the actual perpetrator, as long as to such person the state proves all the elements of the crime charged. In order to find a person who is an accessory under the statute, it is not necessary to show agreement in words or writing, but such an agreement may be inferred from all the circumstances. Whether someone who is present at the commission of a crime is an accessory to it depends on the circumstances surrounding his presence and his conduct while there.”

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

2. “Finally, [a]s we have often noted, proof beyond a reasonable doubt does not mean proof beyond all possible doubt ... nor does proof beyond a reasonable doubt require acceptance of every hypothesis of innocence posed by the defendant that, had it been found credible by the [finder of fact], would have resulted in an acquittal.... On appeal, we do not ask whether there is a reasonable view of the evidence that would support a reasonable hypothesis of innocence. We ask, instead, whether there is a reasonable view of the evidence that supports the [finder of fact's] verdict of guilty.”

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

3. “Although the evidence did not clearly demonstrate which of the perpetrators actually fired the shot that fatally injured [the victim], the evidence did establish that the defendant and his companions together prepared and readied themselves for the ambush ... [and] fir[ed] repeatedly into the vehicle with the intent to kill one or more of the passengers.... [Thus, the evidence] show[ed] sufficient concert of action between the defendant and his companion[s] to support ... the accessory allegation ....”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 179 Conn. App. 285 - Gamble v. Commissioner of Correction