King v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

23 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 23 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “(3) With regard to the sentence, the court shall determine: (a) Whether the sentence of death was imposed under the influence of passion, prejudice or any other arbitrary factor; (b) Whether the evidence supports the jury's or judge's finding of a statutory aggravating circumstance as enumerated in Section 99-19-101; (c) Whether the sentence of death is excessive or disproportionate to the penalty imposed in similar cases, considering both the crime and the defendant; and (d) Should one or more of the aggravating circumstances be found invalid on appeal, the Mississippi Supreme Court shall determine whether the remaining aggravating circumstances are outweighed by the mitigating circumstances or whether the inclusion of any invalid circumstance was harmless error, or both.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Dickerson v. State · 989 So. 2d 320 - Chamberlin v. State

2. “in writing, sworn to by the prisoner, made to the court, ... supported by the affidavits of two or more credible persons, that, by reason of prejudgment of the case, or grudge or ill will to the defendant in the public mind, he cannot have a fair and impartial trial in the county where the offense is charged....”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Cox v. State · 992 So. 2d 1165 - Ruffin v. State

3. “the capital offense was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Dickerson v. State · 989 So. 2d 320 - Chamberlin v. State