Self v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

69 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 71 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““Proof of the corpus delicti may not be made by an extrajudicial confession alone, but proof of the corpus delicti need not be made independent of an extrajudicial confession. If there is some evidence corroborating the confession, the confession may be used to aid in the establishment of the corpus delicti.””

   5 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Gibbs v. State · Freeman v. State

2. ““. . . . The State having established the corpus delicti could prove the appellant’s guilt as the agent guilty of the commission of the crime by his confession unaided by other evidence. See, e. g. Gutierrez v. State, [ 502 S.W.2d 746 ] supra; Brookins v. State, 499 S.W.2d 320 (Tex.Cr.App.1973); Bayless v. State, 492 S.W.2d 588 (Tex.Cr.App.1973); Thomas v. State, 458 S.W.2d 817 (Tex.Cr.App.1970). The remaining element of proof essential to the State’s case that the appellant was the guilty agent in causing the deceased’s death was proved by the appellant’s extrajudicial written confession and his oral admissions to Beamer. All cases heretofore holding that the corpus delicti in a murder prosecution consists of three elements are hereby overruled to the extent they are in conflict with this opinion.””

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Carrizales v. State · Brantley v. State

3. “The disappearance and death of two apparently healthy girls at the same time makes it more probable that their deaths were caused by criminal means than by suicide, accident, or natural means.”

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