595 So. 2d 1 - Dougan v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

15 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 15 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[n]o one may take the life of another indiscriminately, regardless of what that person may perceive as justification”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 688 So. 2d 901 - Hill v. State · 748 So. 2d 237 - Nelson v. State

2. “death may be the appropriate recommendation if, and only if, at least one statutory aggravating factor is established”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 659 So. 2d 242 - Gamble v. State · 6 Cal. 4th 457 - People v. Bacigalupo

3. “The trial judge accurately set forth the facts of this murder in his sentencing order: The four defendants, Jacob John Dougan, Elwood Clark Barclay, Dwyne Crittendon, and Brad W. Evans, were part of a group that termed itself the "Black Liberation Army" (BLA), and whose apparent sole purpose was to indiscriminately kill white people and thus start a revolution and racial war. Dougan was the group's unquestioned leader and it was he who conceived the murderous plan. Apparently he did not have to break down a wall of morality to induce Barclay, Crittendon, and Evans to participate — but it was Dougan's plan — and he pushed it through to murderous finality. The act of Dougan in firing the fatal shots and his leadership were undoubtedly reasons the jury recommended death only for him. The trial testimony showed that on the evening of June 17, 1974, the four defendants and William Hearn (who testified for the State) all set out in a car armed with a pistol and a knife with the intent to kill a "devil" — the "devil" being any white person they came upon under such advantageous circumstances that they could murder him, her, or them. As they drove around Jacksonville, they made several stops and observed a number of white persons as possible victims, but decided the circumstances were not advantageous and that they might be seen and/or thwarted by witnesses. At one stop, Dougan wrote out a note — which was to be placed on the body of the victim ultimately chosen for death. Eventually”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 644 So. 2d 484 - Dougan v. Singletary