Eyewitness Evidence Executive Summary

Eyewitness Evidence Executive Summary

Rick Jordan

CJA/315

September 12, 2016

Jonathan Kingsbury

Eyewitness Evidence Executive Summary

After a crime is committed, law enforcement can take the description of the perpetrator and conduct one of several procedures to identify the suspect. Show up’s, photo lineups, a live lineup, and double blind lineups these tools that law enforcement use can be very beneficial when it comes to identifying the perpetrator and coming up with the suspect.

When you are ready to show a witness a lineup include only one suspect in each identification procedure. When you have cases involving multiple perpetrators, construct a lineup for each suspect. Also, include an appropriate minimum number of fillers (non-suspects) per identification procedure. Select fillers that generally fit the witness description of the perpetrator. When there is an inadequate description of the perpetrator provided by the witness, or when the description given by the witness differs significantly from the suspect, the fillers should resemble the suspect in these features; any feature described by the witness is significant. If the description is particularly vague, common sense should prevail. (National Criminal Justice Reference Service, nd)

When doing a photo lineup if multiple photos are available of the suspect, select a photo that resembles the suspect’s description at the time of the incident. Complete uniformity of features is not required. Avoid using photos as fillers that so closely resemble the suspect that his own friends and family would have a hard time picking him out of the lineup. Create a consistent appearance between the suspect and the fillers with respect to any unusual or unique features likes scars and tattoos used to describe the perpetrator by the witness. If fillers are not available with these special features, you may artificially add or conceal that feature. (National Criminal Justice Reference Service, nd)

For sequential lineups, witnesses must exercise "absolute judgment," comparing each photograph or person only to their memory of what the offender looked like because they are viewing the photos one at a time. In simultaneous lineups, witnesses must use "relative judgment" to compare lineup photographs or members to each other since most photo lineups are in a six pack of