638 So. 2d 39 - Hannon v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

1 federal appellate · 18 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. “Around Christmas 1990, Brandon Snider, a resident of Tampa, went to Indiana to visit relatives. While there, he went to the home of Toni Acker, a former girlfriend, and vandalized her bedroom. On January 9, 1991, Snider returned to Tampa. On January 10, 1991, Hannon, Ron Richardson, and Jim Acker went to the apartment where Snider and Robert Carter lived. Snider opened the door and was immediately attacked by Acker, who is Toni Acker's brother. Acker stabbed Snider multiple times. When Acker was finished, Hannon cut Snider's throat. During the attack, Snider's screams drew the attention of his neighbors. They also drew the attention of Carter, who was upstairs. Hearing the screams, Carter came downstairs and saw what was happening. He then went back upstairs and hid under his bed. Hannon and Acker followed Carter upstairs. Then Hannon shot Carter six times, killing him. In July 1991, Hannon was brought to trial for the murders of Snider and Carter. [N. 1] During the trial, Richardson reached an agreement with the State. He pled guilty to being an accessory after the fact and testified against Hannon. Hannon was found guilty of both murders. After a penalty proceeding, the jury unanimously recommended death. [N. 1] Acker was tried in a separate proceeding, was convicted, and was sentenced to two life sentences.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Hannon v. Secretary, Department of Corrections · 622 F. Supp. 2d 1169 - Hannon v. Secretary, Department of Corrections

2. “Hannon next argues that the evidence did not support the aggravating circumstance that the murder of Carter was committed for the purpose of avoiding or preventing lawful arrest. When a murder victim is not a law enforcement officer, "[p]roof of the requisite intent to avoid arrest and detection must be very strong." Riley v. State, 366 So.2d 19, 22 (Fla.1978). In the instant case, the record reflects that Hannon, Acker, and Richardson went to the home of Snider and Carter to kill Snider. The motive was the conflict between Snider and Jim Acker's sister. Carter was not a party to this conflict. Carter, however, lived with Snider, and witnessed Snider's murder. Carter knew, and could identify, Hannon and the others. After his arrest and incarceration, Hannon told a cellmate that one of the victims was a "real jerk," but that the other was a "pretty nice guy" who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the course of discussing another cellmate's crime, Hannon told him that he should not have left any witnesses. Clearly, the murder of Carter was ancillary to the primary purpose of obtaining revenge against Brandon Snider. See Troedel v. State, 462 So.2d 392, 398 (Fla. 1984). The finding that Carter was murdered for the purpose of avoiding or preventing lawful arrest is fully supported by the record.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 941 So. 2d 1109 - Hannon v. State · State v. Hightower

3. “[t]he inability to be impartial about the death penalty is a valid reason to remove a prospective juror for cause.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 803 So. 2d 629 - Hertz v. State · 803 So. 2d 656 - Looney v. State