Nelson v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

22 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 22 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “In addition to weighing credibility and the force of the evidence reflected on the tape, the judge found that when [Nelson] finally did confess to the murder, his voice sounded "calm and deliberate. He also seemed rational and his answers were responsive and consistent with his story." The judge, considering the totality of the circumstances, determined that [Nelson's] statements were not coerced. * * * We cannot say that the trial court abused its discretion in coming to this conclusion. The constitution does not bar the use by investigating officers of any statement that could be construed as a threat or promise, but only those which constitute outrageous behavior and which in fact induce a confession. There must be a causal nexus between the improper police conduct and the confession. Merely informing the suspect of realistic penalties and encouraging him to tell the truth does not render a confession involuntary. Here, there does not appear to be a causal nexus between the comments and question of [Nelson's] confession when considering the evidence in the light most favorable to the state.”

   4 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Chambers v. State · State v. Walter

2. “calm and deliberate. He also seemed rational and his answers were responsive and consistent with his story.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 878 So. 2d 382 - Green v. State

3. “causal nexus between the improper police conduct and the confession.”

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