In Re DM’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

17 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 17 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “On June 24, 1996, at approximately 6:00 p.m., Officer Chris Frazier received a radio call regarding a man with a gun at 28th and Cecil B. Moore Avenues in Philadelphia. The officer was only one block from the location at the time of the call. The radio call included a description of the "man with a gun" as a black male, wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers. Upon arriving at the scene, the officer saw appellant, D.M., who matched the description given by the radio call.1 Officer Frazier exited his vehicle and told appellant to come over. Appellant ran away from the officer. Police back up approached the scene and appellant was stopped between the two cars. Officer Frazier asked appellant to put his hands on the hood of the car in front of him and proceeded to pat appellant down for the officer's own protection. Officer Frazier felt a hard object resembling a handgun in appellant's crotch area. A.32 caliber handgun fell out of appellant's right pants leg. At that point, Officer Frazier secured the gun and arrested appellant. Appellant filed a motion to suppress alleging violations of both the United States and Pennsylvania Constitutions. Following a hearing, the trial court denied appellant's motion to suppress. That same day, the court adjudicated appellant delinquent and placed him on Intensive Probation. The Superior Court affirmed in a memorandum opinion. This court granted the petition for allowance of appeal in order to address the issue of whether the o”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. In the Interest of D.M. · In Re DM

2. “[I]n Cook , this court made clear that flight alone does not establish reasonable suspicion. 735 A.2d at 677 . However, flight along with other facts, may demonstrate a reasonable suspicion that criminal activity is afoot. Id. In making the determination that reasonable suspicion existed, we relied upon the fact that the officer made firsthand observations of suspicious conduct, which based upon his experience, indicated that criminal activity was afoot, before he even approached appellant. Id. Moreover, we explained that flight could be considered in establishing reasonable suspicion, since the officer's suspicions were already aroused at the time appellant fled. Id. at 677-78. Accordingly, Cook makes clear that the appellant's subsequent flight becomes a relevant factor, in determining reasonable suspicion, only when the officer's suspicions are already aroused.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. In the Interest of D.M. · In Re DM

3. “In the instant case, the officer’s suspicions were not aroused at the time he initially approached appellant. As indicated previously, the tip and existing circumstances when Officer Frazier arrived at the scene failed to provide any facts that would lead an officer to reasonably suspect that criminal activity was afoot. In the absence of any factors indicating that the officer suspected criminal activity was afoot, the "additional” factor of flight is not relevant to the determination of reasonable suspicion.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 2001 Pa. Super. 218 - In the Interest of M.D.