State v. Burr’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

48 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 51 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “Defendant testified that on the evening of 24 August 1991, he mowed the yard at Bridges’ trailer until dark. During this time, Bridges was sitting on the back steps with Susie. Defendant denied having a conversation -with Bridges or striking Bridges while he was mowing. Defendant testified that when he finished mowing the yard, he joined Bridges and her children and Donald Wades’ daughters, Misty and Christy, at the Wades’ trailer and watched television for approximately thirty to thirty-five minutes. Defendant and Bridges were arguing at this time about Bridges going to her parents’ house. Defendant testified that Bridges finally “got mad enough [and] went out the door” to her trailer, taking Susie with her. Defendant testified that he remained in the Wades’ trailer with Bridges’ sons and Wades’ daughters. Defendant testified that after a few minutes passed, he told Scott to tell Bridges that if she wanted to spend the night with her parents, he would take her to their house. Scott left, and, approximately ten minutes later, Bridges returned to the Wades’ trailer without Susie. Defendant testified that he told Bridges that he would take her to her parents’ house to spend the night. Approximately five minutes later, defendant and Bridges left the Wades’ trailer and returned to Bridges’ trailer. Defendant testified that he pushed her in a playful manner on the way to her trailer. Defendant further testified that once they were in Bridges’ trailer, he and Bridges went back to t”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. John Burr v. Kenneth Lassiter

2. “[Susie] was born on 1 April 1991 to Lisa Porter Bridges and Bridges’ husband at that time, John Wesley O’Daniel. When Susie was a few weeks old, Bridges began having sexual relations with defendant, who was separated from his wife at the time. When Susie was six weeks old, John O’Daniel discovered his wife was having an affair with defendant and told Bridges that he wanted a divorce. Subsequently, in June 1991, Bridges and her four children moved into a trailer located next to a trailer owned by Bridges’ brother, Donald Wade. Near the end of June, defendant moved into the trailer with Bridges and her four children. Bridges testified that when defendant first moved in with her, “[h]e seemed like a pretty good person,” but that after a few weeks, he became physically abusive toward her, bending her hands back in a painful manner, threatening her with a gun, bruising her body, and choking her. Bridges testified that she remained with defendant after this abuse because she “was scared of him.” On 24 August 1991, defendant and Bridges argued most of the day over defendant spending the previous night at his wife’s house and his refusing to take Bridges to her parents’ house. At approximately 6:00 p.m., Bridges’ son Scott tripped over a cord while he was carrying Susie. Bridges testified, however, that she examined Susie after the fall and did not find any marks on her body except for some redness on her arm, which disappeared. Bridges further testified that later that evening, whil”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. John Burr v. Kenneth Lassiter

3. “Dr. Willeockson examined the child and observed that she was unconscious and “poorly responsive.” The child’s eyes were wandering but did not “have any particular following,” and her right eye deviated to the right. Dr. Willeockson observed that the child made no oral sounds and that her movements appeared lethargic. The child had occasional twitching of the eyes, face, and arms, which appeared to be seizures according to Dr. Willeockson. The child’s respiratory rate was fast, and she had multiple bruises and swellings all over her head, scalp, ears, face, neck, arms, legs, and main portion of her trunk. Further, the soft spot on the child’s head where the bones were forming was bulging, a symptom which Dr. Willcock-son testified indicates swelling in the head. Dr. Willeockson also testified that Susie had a “grating feeling” in both arms and legs which meant the bones were grating upon each other and which indicates bone fractures. The X rays revealed that both of the child’s arms were broken, as well as both of her thigh bones. The X rays further showed that the child had suffered some posterior rib fractures. Dr. Willeockson testified that based on the multiplicity of trauma, Bridges’ story of another child falling with Susie did not account for the injuries, and he immediately asked Bridges if Susie had been abused, to which Bridges responded in the negative. Dr. Willeockson testified that he “felt that there was such a high suspicion of abuse in the matter” that he conta”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. John Burr v. Kenneth Lassiter