Castro v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

31 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 33 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““. . ., great latitude should be allowed a defendant in showing any fact which would tend to establish ill feelings, bias, motive and animus upon the part of any witness testifying against him. Jackson v. State, 552 S.W.2d 798 (Tex.Cr.App.1977); Robinson v. State, 550 S.W.2d 54 (Tex.Cr.App.1977); Simmons v. State, 548 S.W.2d 386 (Tex.Cr.App.1977); Evans v. State, 519 S.W.2d 868 (Tex.Cr.App.1975); Smith v. State, 516 S.W.2d 415 (Tex.Cr.App.1974); Blair v. State, 511 S.W.2d 277 (Tex.Cr.App.1974). . By presenting evidence to the jury that, while Rhoades [a prosecution witness] had participated in some criminal offense and had been arrested for robbery and murder and indicted for theft, but that those charges were no longer pending against him, appellant sought to show that Rhoades had some interest and motive in testifying for the State. The inference that the jury could have drawn was that Rhoades had a personal interest in helping the prosecution prove its case against appellant and, therefore, may have been an unreliable witness. While the jury may have chosen to reject such an inference, especially since Rhoades denied that he was testifying for the State because of his vulnerable status, this evidence, was nevertheless admissible and appellant should have been permitted to prove these facts, [citations omitted]””

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Bates v. State · Cloud v. State

2. ““As this Court has stated many times, great latitude should be allowed a defendant in showing any fact which would tend to establish ill feelings, bias, motive and animus upon the part of any witness testifying against him.” [Citations omitted.] “In Blair v. State, supra, we stated that any possible malice, bias or prejudice towards the defendant on the part of the witness is admissible to attack his credibility and to lay the groundwork for possible impeachment. The motives which operate on the mind of a witness when he testifies are never regarded as immaterial or collateral matters. [Footnote omitted.] The defendant may prove facts ‘which tend to show bias, interest, prejudice or any other mental state or status which fairly construed might tend to affect his credibility.’ See 1 Branch’s Ann. P.C.2d Ed. Sec. 185. “In Evans v. State, supra, this Court reversed a conviction where the trial court refused to allow the defendant to show that a witness testifying for the State against the defendant was currently under indictment. We held that the claim of bias, interest and motive which the defense sought to develop was admissible to afford a basis for an inference of undue pressure because of the witness’ vulnerable status as an indictee, as well as of the witness’ possible concern that he might be a suspect in the offense. * * * * * * “. . . The inference that the jury could have drawn was that Rhoades had a personal interest in helping the prosecution prove its case against a”

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

3. “1. Appellant’s age; 2. The length of time that he was alone with police; 3. The absence of a showing that he was asked whether he wished to assert any of his rights; 4. The isolation from his family and friendly adult advice; 5. The failure to warn the appellant in Spanish; 6. The length of time before he was taken before a magistrate and warned.”

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