Eyewitness identification

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EYEWITNESS

IDENTIFICATION

13-1

CHAPTER 13

EYEWITNESS IDENTIFICATION

I. INTRODUCTION

II. GOVERNING PRINCIPLES

A. Identif‌ication Procedures

§13:01 Procedures Used by Police and Prosecutors

§13:02 Contemporar y Recommendations for Identif‌ication Procedures

§13:03 Other Helpful Sources

B. Law re: Admissibility

§13:04 Traditional Legal Test for Eyewitness Identif‌ication Admissibility

§13:05 Manson v. Braithwaite

§13:06 Alternatives to Braithwaite Standard

§13:07 Modern Research on Mistaken Identif‌ication

[§§13:08-13:09 Reserved]

III. CHALLENGING AN EYEWITNESS IDENTIFICATION ON TRADITIONAL BRAITHWAITE GROUNDS

A. Before the Hearing

§13:10 Start by Reviewing Investigation Procedure for Suggestiveness

§13:11 Enlist the Help of an Investigator

B. When a Pretrial Identif‌ication Procedure Was Used

1. Cross-Examine Off‌icers Involved re: Witness’ Description of Perpetrator

§13:12 Questions Asked of Witnesses in Every Case

§13:13 Questions re: Specif‌ic Description of Suspect

2. Cross-Examine Off‌icers Involved re: Pretrial Identif‌ication Procedures

a. Pretrial Show-up Identif‌ications

§13:14 Questions re: Suggestiveness of Viewing Conditions

§13:14.1 When the Witness is a Police Off‌icer

§13:15 Challenges to Pretrial Show-up Identif‌ications

b. Photo File “Mug Book” Identif‌ications

§13:16 Governing Principles

§13:17 Cross-Examination Questions re: “Mug Book” Identif‌ication

c. Photo Array Identif‌ications

§13:18 In Practice: Put the Right Photos Before the Judge

§13:19 Cross-Examination Questions

§13:20 Arguing Photo Array was Suggestive

d. Live Lineup Identif‌ications

§13:21 Before the Hearing

§13:22 Cross-Examination Questions

§13:23 Arguing a Live Line -Up Should Be Suppressed

[§13:24 Reserved]

EYEWITNESS

IDENTIFICATION

Suppressing Criminal Evidence 13-2

C. When No Pre-Trial Investigation Procedure Was Used

1. Serendipitous Pretrial Identif‌ications

a. Governing Law

§13:25 Perr y v. New Hampshire

§13:26 Case Law Post-Perry

b. Sample Case

§13:27 Facts

§13:28 Prepare for the Hearing

§13:29 Cross-Examine the Victim

§13:29.1 Brief Opportunity to View Robber

§13:29.2 Disguise Obstructed Facial Features

§13:29.3 Gun Focus

§13:29.4 Stress of the Event

§13:29.5 Description Given to Police

§13:29.6 No Identif‌ication from Police Photo Files

§13:29.7 Suggestive Identif‌ication

§13:30 Cross-Examine Police Witnesses

§13:30.1 Victim’s Description of Robber

§13:30.2 Gun Focus

§13:30.3 Photo Array

§13:31 Call an Expert to Testify

§13:32 Sample Argument

2. First-Time Identif‌ications in Courtroom

§13:33 Governing Principles

§13:34 Older Federal Court Decisions

§13:35 More Recent Federal Court Decisions

§13:36 State Cour t Decisions Precluding First-Time In-Court Identif‌ication

§13:37 Move to Preclude a First Time Identif‌ication in Court

[§§13:38-13:39 Reserved]

IV. CHALLENGING IDENTIFICATION BASED ON MODERN SCIENCE

A. Governing Principles

§13:40 Modern Science Allows You to Fully Develop Reliability Argument

§13:41 Due Process Analysis

§13:42 Rule of Evidence Analysis

B. Litigating Identif‌ication: Bringing Science into the Courtroom

1. Strategy and Tactics

§13:43 Before the Hearing

§13:44 Exper t Testimony at Suppression Hearing

2. Sample Case

§13:45 Facts

§13:46 Cross-Examination of Law Enforcement Off‌icers

§13:47 Presenting Expert Testimony

§13:47.1 Qualify your Expert

§13:47.2 Topics for Questioning Expert on Direct Examination

V. FORMS

Form 13-1 Motion to Suppress – Showup Identif‌ication

Form 13-2 Motion to Suppress – Identif‌ication Unduly Prejudicial

Form 13-3 Summary of Expert Testimony

EYEWITNESS

IDENTIFICATION

13-3 Eyewitness Identif‌ication §13:01

I. INTRODUCTION

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ϖιχτιµ οφ, ορ ωιτνεσσ το, ωηατ ισ οφτεν α σεριουσ ανδ ϖιολεντ χριµε, συχη ασ α ραπε, αρµεδ−ροββερψ ορ α σηοοτινγ,

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ωιτνεσσ τελλσ τηεµ τηατ τηε περσον ωηο χοµµιττεδ τηε ηορριβλε αχτ ισ ψουρ χλιεντ, σεατεδ νεξτ το ψου ατ χουνσελ ταβλε.

Τηε ωιτνεσσ στατεσ σηε ισ 100% ποσιτιϖε τηισ ισ τηε περπετρατορ ανδ σηελλ νεϖερ φοργετ τηατ φαχε. Τηε ποωερ οφ τηε

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ωηιχη οφτεν µοϖεσ ϕυρορσ ινεξοραβλψ το ρεαχη α γυιλτψ ϖερδιχτ.

Ασ ποωερφυλ ασ τηισ τεστιµονψ ισ, ιτ ισ φρεθυεντλψ ερρονεουσ. Τηε Νατιοναλ Ρεγιστρψ οφ Εξονερατιονσ

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

χονϖιχτιονσ ιν τηε Υνιτεδ Στατεσ, ανδ ρεσπονσιβλε φορ µορε ωρονγφυλ χονϖιχτιονσ τηαν αλλ οτηερ χαυσεσ χοµβινεδ, ονλψ

  



II. GOVERNING PRINCIPLES

A. Identif‌ication Procedures

§13:01 Procedures Used by Police and Prosecutors



 Σηοωυπσ.



ανδ τηε συσπεχτ ισ χλεαρλψ ιν πολιχε χυστοδψ. Νο αττεµπτσ αρε µαδε το χοµπαρε τηε κνοων συσπεχτ ωιτη

οτηερσ ορ το χρεατε ιδεαλ ϖιεωινγ χονδιτιονσ.

 Photo iles.

το ϖιεω µυλτιπλε παστ βοοκινγ πηοτοσ το σεε ιφ τηεψ ρεχογνιζε τηε περπετρατορ. Ιν τηε παστ τηισ ωασ δονε



1     

−







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