- #Glimpses of other realities facts and eyewitnesses trial
- #Glimpses of other realities facts and eyewitnesses series
These protocols should be designed to enhance the reliability of the product of the interview process and to accurately preserve the contents of the interview. The Ministry of the Solicitor General should establish province-wide written protocols for the interviewing of suspects and witnesses by police officers. CANADIAN COMMISSIONS OF INQUIRY a) The Commission on Proceedings Involving Guy Paul Morin Recommendation 101 - Police protocols for interviewing to enhance reliability
#Glimpses of other realities facts and eyewitnesses trial
The Innocence Project in New York City reports that in the first 130 post-conviction exonerations based on new DNA evidence, 101 (78 per cent) involved mistaken identification, by far the leading factor. It was the happiest day of my life because I could begin to put it all behind me.Įleven years later, DNA testing proved Cotton had not been the rapist. Based on my testimony, Ronald Cotton was sentenced to prison for life. When the case went to trial, I stood up on the stand, put my hand on the Bible and swore to tell the truth. If there was the possibility of a death sentence, I wanted him to die. I had picked the right guy, and he was going to go to jail.
#Glimpses of other realities facts and eyewitnesses series
Several days later, looking at a series of police photos, I identified my attacker. I looked through hundreds of noses and eyes and eyebrows and hairlines and nostrils and lips. When I went to the police department later that day, I worked on a composite sketch to the very best of my ability. When and if I survived the attack, I was going to make sure that he was put in prison and he was going to rot. I looked at his hairline I looked for scars, for tattoos, for anything that would help me identify him. I studied every single detail on the rapist’s face.
Ĭonsider the case of Jennifer Thompson, a North Carolina woman who was raped at knifepoint as a 22-year-old college student: ĭuring my ordeal, some of my determination took an urgent new direction. The most well meaning, honest and genuine eyewitness can, and has been, wrong. However, experience has shown that erroneous and mistaken identifications have and do occur, resulting in the wrongful conviction of the factually innocent. There is no denying the powerful impact at trial of a witness for the prosecution stating with confidence and conviction that the accused was the person observed committing the crime. EYEWITNESS IDENTIFICATION AND TESTIMONY I.