Informational Articals - Witness Protection Program - Eye Witness
An eye witness is someone who saw a particular event take place. This term is generally used in reference to observing a crime take place. Eye witnesses are very important because they can help identify the individuals who were at a scene when it took place. They are often asked to help get a sketch draw of the suspects and to take a look at various mug shots. In some cases an eye witness is asked to identify these suspects out of a line up.
Anyone who is an eye witness to a crime is asked to testify in a court of law. Many individuals are afraid to do so but they may be forced to under the laws. If a person is in danger after testifying as an eye witness to a crime they may be offered safety in a Witness Protection Program either at a state or Federal level. The amount of weight the testimony of an eye witness has in a court room is too valuable not to be part of the trial.
However, eye witness testimony isn’t 100% foolproof. There have been plenty of documented cases of individuals wrongly convicted. The evidence that resulted in this conviction was due to eye witness accounts of the events. The information presented by eye witnesses is more credible if there are several of them and each person is telling the same information.
Due to the amount of time that passes between an eye witness giving the police their statements and a trial date, the information can become hazy. It is important for the prosecution to go over all the details of the information originally given with the eye witness prior to the trial. This way the information is fresh for them as well.
An eyewitness has to be reliable and credible for them to be considered a good witness. The defense attorney is going to take the time to complete an investigation on eye witnesses and try to put holes in their testimony as a way to raise reasonable doubt. Most eye witness’s do all they can to provide accurate information. However if they have a shady background of their own it could be more difficult for the jury to believe their testimony.
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