Essays on Eyewitness Testimony

The debate on eyewitness reliability has been a long one as eyewitnesses can be a key component in court cases, especially criminal trails. The purpose of having witnesses of crime testifying in court is to aid the prosecutor or defense lawyer’s argument in hopes that...

Eyewitness identification can play an important role in the conviction of a suspect, but research has also shown that unreliable eyewitness evidence is a key reason for wrongful convictions (Brandon & Davies,1973; Huff et al, 1976). For example, Wells et al. (1998) found that of...

In the course of 1977, Randal Dale Adams or Mr. Adams was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of a police officer in Dallas County, Texas. An alleged eyewitness, who in fact was the actual killer, set up Mr. Adams and received immunity...

An expert witness is an individual with training, knowledge and experience that assists the judge or the jury to understand the evidence or the scientific, technical and specialized facts regarding the case. Additionally, experts are often questioned about their opinion which they developed based on...

Eyewitnesses who take the stand to testify about the identity of a perpetrator are one of the most valuable sources of evidence in the criminal justice system. Often, eyewitness accounts are the only evidence available to help identify and prosecute suspects, such as in cases...

Eyewitness misidentification is the simple justification of what may have collected a misinterpreted scene. Witnesses of any incident are usually distorted, and even forgetful of what they may or may not have remembered. Candidly, it is in this instance where information becomes fabricated, to fit...

Eyewitnesses have been used for many critical crimes convicted throughout the years, they are a formidable tool in a crime to catch the culprit. As an eyewitness, one recalls what he or she has seen and gives a description of the event. Although these testimonies...