Lee v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

2 federal appellate · 72 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 76 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[U]nder this rule, evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts may be admissible to prove motive. We have said that, when the purpose of evidence is to show motive, anything and everything that might have influenced the commission of the act may, as a rule, be shown. Echols v. State, 326 Ark. 917 , 936 S.W.2d 509 (1996); Cooper v. State, 324 Ark. 135 , 919 S.W.2d 205 (1996). The State is entitled to produce evidence showing circumstances which explain the act, show a motive for killing, or illustrate the accused’s state of mind. Echols v. State, supra; Smith v. State, 310 Ark. 247 , 837 S.W.2d 279 (1992).”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Barrett v. State · Parker v. State

2. “(1) The capital murder was committed by a person imprisoned as a result of a felony conviction; (2) The capital murder was committed by a person unlawfully at liberty after being sentenced to imprisonment as a result of a felony conviction; (3) The person previously committed another felony, an element of which was the use or threat of violence to another person or the creation of a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to another person; (4) The person in the commission of the capital murder knowingly created a great risk of death to a person other than the victim or caused the death of more than one (1) person in the same criminal episode; (5) The capital murder was committed for the purpose of avoiding or preventing an arrest or effecting an escape from custody; (6) The capital murder was committed for pecuniary gain; (7) The capital murder was committed for the purpose of disrupting or hindering the lawful exercise of any government or political function; (8) (A) The capital murder was committed in an especially cruel or depraved manner. (B) For purposes of this subdivision (8), a capital murder is committed in an especially cruel manner when, as part of a course of conduct intended to inflict mental anguish, serious physical abuse, or torture upon the victim prior to the victim’s death, mental anguish, serious physical abuse, or torture is inflicted. “Mental anguish” is defined as the victim’s uncertainty as to his ultimate fate. “Serious physical abuse” i”

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

3. “We considered this argument and law review article in Nooner v. State, supra. In Nooner, we emphasized the United States Supreme Court’s requirement that a discriminatory purpose must be proved on the part of the decision-maker in the defendant’s particular case. McClesky v. Kemp, 481 U.S. 279 (1987). As in Nooner, Lee’s allegations are very general. He has offered no proof to show how his due process or equal protection rights were violated by a biased or arbitrary judge or jury. Thus, due to absence of proof of discriminatory purpose, we cannot say that the trial court erred in denying Lee’s- motion.”

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