Distinguishing proof by eyewitnesses is not generally reliable confirmation. The human mind is basically not built so as to capacity as a moment replay camera and recorder. Diagnostic thought of the mental measurements of eyewitnesses distinguishing proof has uncovered that the risks from frail physical observation and memory and from suggestive impacts are, much of the time, overpowering. The ideas and unsteadiness of such distinguishing proof are surely understood; the records of criminal law are overflowing with cases of mixed up eyewitness’s testimony recognizable proof.
What is your position on the weight a jury should place on eyewitness identification?
I personally believed the jury should not alone depend on just eyewitness identification to convict an individual. However, numerous convictions have been overturned due to eyewitness misidentification, false confession, forensic error, perjured testimony, and prosecutorial misconduct.
Defend your position. What does current research say as to the reliability of these witnesses?
In the course of recent years, social researchers have recognized a large portion of the particular reasons that eyewitnesses commit errors. For instance, thinks about have demonstrated that a witness subjective trust in the quality of his/her distinguishing proof has essentially no connection with the exactness of the recognizable proof. Unfortunately, the untrained public, ignorant that sociology and experimental confirmation undermine depend on such proof, routinely misconstrues what weight to give eyewitness testimony. The system of deciphering eyewitness testimony will never be flawless, but psychological research can improve on making it better.
Once More, in view of recent cases where defendants have been indicted on eyewitness testimony and later exonerated on DNA testing. I
exclusively don’t believe that eyewitness testimony should be the only source for convicting an individual. Mainly because eyewitness proof can be debased, lost, demolished or generally made to create results that can prompt a wrong recreation of the crime, the offender's appearance might have changed subsequent to the crime.
Reference:
Http://criminaldefensehomestead.com/eyewitnesssmisidentification. (n.d.).
2004 WL 397950, 2004 WL 397950