State v. Richardson’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. “As to Count I, if you find and believe from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt: First, that on or about January 8, 1983, in the County of St. Louis, State of Missouri, Vincent Sargent caused the death of Det. Sgt. Charles James by shooting him, and Second, that Vincent Sargent did so in committing, together with the defendant, the crime of possession of a controlled substance, schedule I, over 35 grams of marijuana, then you will find the defendant guilty of murder in the second degree. However, if you do not find and believe from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt each and all of these propositions, you must find the defendant not guilty of that offense. A person is guilty of possession of over 35 grams of marijuana if he possesses that amount of marijuana and is aware of the character of the substance and knew that he possessed it. If you do find the defendant guilty under Count I of murder in the second degree in connection with possession of over 35 grams of marijuana, you will fix his punishment at imprisonment by the Division of Corrections for a term fixed by you, but not less than ten years nor more than life imprisonment.”

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

2. “not every deviation from an approved instruction ... requires reversal and although deviation should be discouraged in all cases, even when a deviation is error the question whether it is prejudicial error remains to be judicially determined.”

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