792 So. 2d 192 - Mitchell v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

1 federal appellate · 66 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 75 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[I]f there is evidence from which it may be reasonably inferred that a substantial reason for the killing was to conceal the identity of the killer or killings to “cover their tracks” so as to avoid apprehension and eventual arrest by authorities, then it is proper for the court to allow the jury to consider this aggravating circumstance. Under this construction the Court properly submits this aggravator to the jury if evidence existed from which the jury could reasonably infer that concealing the killer’s identity, or covering the killer’s tracks to avoid apprehension and arrest, was a substantial reason for the killing.”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Goff v. State · 954 So. 2d 968 - Ross v. State

2. “Unless good cause be shown, and a continuance duly granted by the court, all offenses for which indictments are presented to the court shall be tried no later than two hundred seventy (270) days after the accused has been arraigned. "The right to a speedy trial is guaranteed by the sixth and fourteenth amendments to the United States Constitution and Art. 3, § 26 of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890." Watts v. State, 733 So.2d 214, 235 (Miss.1999). "The constitutional right to speedy trial attaches at the time when the defendant is first effectively accused of the offense." Gray v. State, 728 So.2d 36, 47-48 (Miss.1998) (citing Perry v. State, 419 So.2d 194 , 198 (Miss.1982)). This Court has held this to begin at the "`time of a formal indictment or information or else the actual restraints imposed by arrest and holding to a criminal charge.'" Perry v. State, 637 So.2d 871, 874 (Miss. 1994) (quoting Lightsey v. State, 493 So.2d 375, 378 (Miss.1986)).”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Craft v. State · 812 So. 2d 179 - Hicks v. State

3. “The relevancy and admissibility of evidence are left, in large part, to the discretion of the trial court. However, this discretion must be exercised within the confines of the Mississippi Rules of Evidence. Reversal is proper only where such discretion has been abused and a substantial right of a party has been affected.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Hampton v. State · 851 So. 2d 391 - Boose v. State