396 Pa. Super. 499 - Commonwealth v. Torres’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

20 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 20 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “is whether, viewing all evidence admitted at trial, together with all reasonable inferences therefrom, in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth, the trier of fact could have found that each element of the offense charged was supported by evidence and inferences sufficient in law to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 430 Pa. Super. 297 - Commonwealth v. Miller · 456 Pa. Super. 222 - Commonwealth v. Yanoff

2. “Defendant also contends that the verdict was against the weight of the evidence because of contradictory testimony given by Commonwealth witnesses Donald Powell and Edna West. Defendant states that Powell testified Layne sat on the stairs after Defendant reentered the house and West stated that Layne sat on the wall along the stairs, rocking back and forth. Describing their flight from the house, Powell indicated that Defendant ran out of the house with him and then d'own an alley, while West testified that she saw only Powell emerge from the house and a second person come from around the far side of the porch. West also said that the porch light was on while she was observing the scene, but the first police officer to arrive a few minutes later testified that the light was not on. Defendant additionally argues that Powell contradicted himself by giving different versions under oath at the preliminary hearing, the June mistrial and the September retrial. Defendant claims that Powell testified at the preliminary hearing that he saw nothing unusual about Defendant’s appearance when Defendant reentered the house, while saying in June that he saw blood on him but could not say where and then testifying at the retrial that he saw blood on Defendant’s hands. Defendant also points to Powell’s testimony at the preliminary hearing that he heard nothing while he was in the bathroom but testified at both trials that he heard a scream. Defendant further alleges contradictions between Pow”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 430 Pa. Super. 63 - Commonwealth v. Manchas