Gray v. Commonwealth’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

12 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 12 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[t]here is no evidence whatever that his actions were anything other than intentional”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. McGinnis v. Commonwealth · Shannon v. Commonwealth

2. “Erroneous belief qualification. Regardless of what the defendant then believed, if you believe from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that it was not in fact necessary for her to use physical force against Jerry Ford in order to protect herself or, if it was, that she used more force than was actually necessary; and you further believe from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant’s belief to the contrary, the action she took against Jerry Ford in reliance upon that belief amounted to (a) Wanton conduct, then she was not so privileged and you will find her guilty of second degree manslaughter under Instruction Number 5. (b) Wanton conduct under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to human life which created a grave risk of death to Jerry Ford, then she was not so privileged and you will find her guilty of murder under Instruction Number 2(b)(ii).”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Ford v. Commonwealth

3. “attempted to justify it on the grounds of self-protection.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Shannon v. Commonwealth