Lebron v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

43 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 43 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “Given the record in Lightbourne and our extensive analysis in our opinion in Lightbourne ... we reject the conclusion that lethal injection as applied in Florida is unconstitutional.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Tompkins v. State · 992 So. 2d 120 - Henyard v. State

2. “During the 2005 penalty-phase proceeding, there was some evidence presented that Lebrón functioned at a mental, emotional, and intellectual level below his chronological age, but conversely, there was also contradicting evidence that supported the opposite conclusion. A neuropsychological evaluation described Lebrón as (1) “an extremely engaging youngster”; (2) highly motivated to perform well and attentive; (3) showing no evidence of disordered or delusional thought; (4) having an IQ of ninety-seven, which is in the “average range of intellective ability”; (5) exhibiting “no evidence of a dyslexia or dysgraphia for numbers or spatial disorganization of numbers”; and (6) although slightly behind academically, having everything (e.g., brain functioning) needed to succeed .... Lebrón lacks factors to link his chronological age to any immaturity .... Moreover, the record is virtually devoid of any evidence with regard to how Lebrón functioned from the age of eighteen until Oliver’s murder.... The manner in which Lebrón functioned at the time of Oliver’s murder would have been the most crucial evidence with regard to this age mitigator. The evidence is consistent with a finding that Lebrón could function as a typical twenty-one-year-old.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 135 So. 3d 1040 - Jermaine Lebron v. State of Florida

3. “would both facilitate our proportionality review and satisfy the constitutional guarantee of trial by jury.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the concurrence
   e.g. In Re: Standard Criminal Jury Instructions in Capital Cases