State v. Lawson’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

181 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 185 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “the appellant must overcome the 'strong presumption that counsel's conduct falls within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance * * *'”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. State v. Mick · State v. Welninski

2. “Under the circumstances, we conclude that appellant’s lawyers did not act incompetently in withdrawing their objection to the “I’ve killed before” statement. Since appellant stipulated that he shot Martin, the only issue contested at trial was his mental state. Appellant’s defense team’s trial strategy was to prove appellant’s innocence by reason of his insanity. To this end, his attorneys called as a witness Dr. John Peter Lutz, a psychiatrist, who testified that Lawson suffered from “brief reactive psychosis,” a temporary form of insanity. Dr. Lutz testified that “[pjsychosis means as a result of a mental or physical illness a person is unable to perceive the circumstances around him in such a way as to guide their internal conception of what is occurring or to make reasonable assessments.” Dr. Lutz opined that appellant’s statement that “I’ve killed be fore” supported his psychiatric diagnosis because it evidenced appellant’s alleged penchant for exaggeration and empty boasting. Moreover, the “I’ve killed before” statement also supported Lutz’s diagnosis by providing the necessary context for Payton’s response: “No, you turn into a wild man.” The “wild man” comment bolstered appellant’s insanity defense but would be rendered meaningless without the preceding statement.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 197 F. Supp. 2d 1072 - Lawson v. Warden, Mansfield Correctional Institution

3. “Now, we heard from the defendant’s mother. And, you know, this is very uncomfortable for me to speak about because I think you, just like I have, have watched the vigil that woman has kept for well going on to 40 days now. She quietly sat back there and supported this man. And I can’t help and I haven’t been able to help for 40 days to think about my own mother and when my father died and I watched her suffer and more so than me grieving over the death of my father. I watched my mother suffer and that hurt. And when she took that stand[,] I hurt for Mrs. Lawson, and you can’t deny that there is anyone that wasn’t affected, and I saw a number of you cry[,] and[,] because I’m out here and I’m an attorney and this is my business[,] I fought back the tears[,] and I swallowed hard[,] and there was only one person in this courtroom who didn’t[,] and it’s that man right there. And if anybody took the time to look over at him like I did and saw the reaction that he had to his own mother on that stand, it was chilling. And I want you to carry that with you when you weigh the aggravating circumstances versus the mitigating factors—”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 197 F. Supp. 2d 1072 - Lawson v. Warden, Mansfield Correctional Institution