Bell v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

3 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 3 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “" Ex parte Branch , 526 So.2d 609 , 622-23 (Ala. 1987), contains a nonexclusive list of factors that a challenging party might use to establish a prima facie case of discrimination. This list includes, '[a] pattern of strikes against [jurors of a certain gender or race] on a particular venire; e.g., 4 of 6 peremptory challenges were used to strike black jurors.' Branch , 526 So.2d at 623 (emphasis added). A pattern ' "implies that the decisionmaker . . . selected . . . a particular course of action at least in part 'because of', not merely 'in spite of', its adverse effects upon an identifiable group'. . . ." Freeman v. State , 651 So.2d 576 , 583 (Ala.Cr.App. 1994). When determining whether peremptory strikes were used in a manner to suggest a discriminatory 'pattern of strikes,' '[m]erely showing that the challenged party struck one or more members of a particular race is not sufficient to establish a prima facie case [of discrimination].' Edwards v. State , 628 So.2d 1021 , 1024 (Ala.Cr.App. 1993)."”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 682 So. 2d 488 - Weaver v. State · 720 So. 2d 961 - Clemons v. State

2. “Here, the trial court did not err in finding that the appellant failed to establish a prima facie case of discrimination. The voir dire examination of the prospective jurors in this case was extensive, covering approximately four volumes of record. There is absolutely no indication that any Batson violation occurred here.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 720 So. 2d 961 - Clemons v. State

3. “'The trial judge "plays a 'pivotal role' in determining whether a prima facie case has been made under Batson because he or she observes the voir dire procedure firsthand and is in a far better position than we to assess the prosecutor's decisions.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 682 So. 2d 488 - Weaver v. State