State v. Gordon’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. “In his first assignment, Gordon complains the State failed to provide sufficient evidence to support his conviction for distribution of cocaine, arguing it did not prove that a drug transaction took place. Specifically, Gordon contends that the videotape introduced by the State does not corroborate Agent Wilson's eyewitness testimony. He argues that the videotape of the transaction is circumstantial evidence in that it does not show a hand-to-hand exchange between himself and the undercover officer, and that the tape leaves room for a reasonable hypothesis of innocence. . . . . Gordon contends, as he did below, that the videotape does not corroborate Wilson's testimony that defendant handed her a rock of crack in exchange for twenty dollars. Gordon argues that, because the tape does not show his or the officer's hands, it allowed for a reasonable hypothesis of innocence—for instance, that he was simply flirting with Wilson. Defendant's claim lacks merit. As the State points out, Wilson's testimony was, by itself, sufficient to prove the essential elements of the offense. In the absence of internal contradiction or irreconcilable conflict with physical evidence, one witness' testimony, if believed by the trier of fact, is sufficient to support a conviction. Wilson testified that she asked Gordon if he had a "twenty." Gordon told her to meet him in a specific place. Wilson testified that when she met defendant there, he gave her a rock of crack, and she gave him twenty dollars ”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 995 So. 2d 11 - State Ex Rel. Da