State v. Beckham’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

84 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 84 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[T]he evidence offered by accused as to the commission of the crime by another person must be limited to such facts as are inconsistent with his own guilt, and to such facts as raise a reasonable inference or presumption as to his own innocence; evidence which can have (no) other effect than to cast a bare suspicion upon another, or to raise a conjectural inference as to the commission of the crime by another, is not admissible.... But before such testimony can be received, there must be such proof of connection with it, such a train of facts or circumstances, as tends clearly to point out such other person as the guilty party. Remote acts, disconnected and outside the crime itself, cannot be separately proved for such a purpose. An orderly and unbiased judicial inquiry as to the guilt or innocence of a defendant on trial does not contemplate that such defendant be permitted, by way of defense, to indulge in conjectural inferences that some other person might have committed the offense for which he is on trial, or by fanciful analogy to say to the jury that someone other than he is more probably guilty.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Gay · State v. Mansfield

2. “[H]ere, the trial judge erred in not admitting the impeachment evidence but we find the error was harmless. McCraw’s testimony was not that important to the State’s case. Much of McCraw’s testimony was merely cumulative to Anderson’s testimony and corroborated by other evidence. The majority of McCraw’s testimony was about the phone records of appellant, appellant’s father, Vickie’s father, Anderson, Anderson’s employer (Smuggler’s), and several pay phones, and appellant’s bank records. McCraw also testified as to Anderson’s statement and how he had investigated the information contained in the statement. Appellant was permitted to extensively cross-examine McCraw. Lastly, the State’s case was fairly strong. Anderson’s testimony and the evidence of flight were very damning. After considering the Van Arsdall factors in light of the evidence against appellant, we hold the exclusion of this impeachment evidence was harmless.”

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

3. “The two elements needed to satisfy the plain view exception are (1) the initial intrusion that afforded the authorities the plain view was lawful and (2) the incriminating nature of the evidence was immediately apparent to the seizing authorities.”

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