Garrison v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

85 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 85 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “In reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain a conviction in a criminal case we do not inquire into and measure the weight of the evidence to ascertain whether the State has proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, State v. Devers, 260 Md. 360 , 272 A. 2d 794 (1971), but merely decide whether there was evidence, or probable inferences to be drawn from the evidence, upon which the trial court could find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Wilson v. State, 261 Md. 551 , 276 A. 2d 214 (1971); Drouin v. State, 222 Md. 271 , 160 A. 2d 85 (1960). “Possession” is defined by Code (1957, 1971 Repl. Vol.), Art. 27, § 277 (s), to mean “the exercise of actual or constructive dominion or control over a thing by one or more persons.” The statute recognizes, as we held in Rucker v. State, 196 Md. 334, 340 , 76 A. 2d 572, 574 (1950), that such possession may be joint. [Id. at 128.]”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Pringle v. State · Bingman v. State

2. “[Bjefore the State may obtain a conviction it must adduce evidence to meet the test of legal sufficiency; that evidence must show directly or support a rational inference that the accused did in fact exercise some dominion or control over the prohibited narcotic drug in the sense contemplated by the statute, i.e., that she exercised some restraining or directing influence over it. Garrison v. State, 272 Md. 123, 142 , 321 A.2d 767, 777 (1974).”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Pringle v. State · Carroll v. State

3. “[o]n May 26,1972, at 8:15 A. M., when Officer Cole, pursuant to the warrant for 1525 Leslie Street, forcibly entered the premises, an unidentified male and female — not charged — were sitting in the living room; he and other officers proceeded directly to the second floor of the two-story house. Upon entering the rear bedroom Officer Cole observed Ernest Garrison ("Piggy”) standing in an adjacent bathroom and saw him discard a plastic bag into the commode and flush it. Retrieving this jetsam he found it contained 173 glassine bags of heroin. Another officer, who proceeded to the front bedroom, found the appellant, nude, in bed, under the covers. Access to the bathroom was only through the rear bedroom. No contraband was discovered in a search of the bedroom in which the appellant was found, but in the drawer of a combination dresser-wardrobe there was found $168 in currency, $85.18 rolled in coin wrappers, a rent card in the name of the appellant showing a tenancy beginning February 29, 1972 — with the rent paid through May 16th, and a "turn-off notice” addressed to "Miss Shirley Annette Garrison, 1525 Leslie Street” from the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company concerning an unpaid utility bill in the amount of $22.82. [ 272 Md. at 126-27 , 321 A.2d at 769 .]”

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