536 So. 2d 169 - Williams v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

7 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 7 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “2 Jones on Evidence (2d Ed.) pp. 1086 and 1115.' George D. Witt Shoe Co. v. Mills , 224 Ala. 500 , 502 , 140 So. 578 (1932).”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 565 So. 2d 1189 - Chislom v. State · 563 So. 2d 22 - Winton v. State

2. ““‘The acts, declarations, and demeanor of an accused, before or after the offense, whether part of the res gestae or not, are admissible against him, but unless a part of the res gestae are not admissible for him.’ [Jones v. State, 181 Ala. 63, 78 , 61 So. 434, 439 (1913).] The admission of such evidence would allow the accused to make evidence for himself. Jordan v. State, 81 Ala. 20 , 1 So. 577 , 584 (1886). ‘As a general rule, one charged with crime can not make evidence for himself, by proof of his own declarations.’ Stewart v. State, 63 Ala. 199, 200 (1879). See also Miller v. State, 441 So.2d 1038, 1039 (Ala.Cr.App.1983); Powell v. State, 51 Ala.App. 398, 400 , 286 So.2d 73 , cert. denied, 291 Ala. 796 , 286 So.2d 75 (1973); Dowdey v. State, 45 Ala.App. 185 , 227 So.2d 815 (1969); Cranmore v. State, 41 Ala.App. 276 , 129 So.2d 121 (1961); Hawkins v. State, 29 Ala.App. 221 , 195 So. 762 , cert. denied, 239 Ala. 532 , 195 So. 765 (1940), all holding inadmissible the ‘self-serving’ statements of an accused to a law enforcement officer. ‘Although frequently said to constitute self-serving declarations, ... statements made by the accused, after the commission of the crime and not as part of the res gestae, fit the classic definition of hearsay.’ Harrell v. State, 470 So.2d 1303, 1306 (Ala.Cr.App.1984), affirmed, Ex parte Harrell, 470 So.2d 1309 (Ala.1985).””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 650 So. 2d 532 - Henderson v. State

3. “In Alabama, it is well settled that a conviction for rape may be had on the uncorroborated testimony of the victim.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 677 So. 2d 807 - Myers v. State