While eyewitnesses to a criminal offense can provide compelling testimony, the average person’s memory of a specific event is susceptible to many biases and errors. Unfortunately, jurors love eyewitness testimony and are much more likely to convict a defendant when another person witnesses the crime. Witnesses to a crime or accident are commonly interviewed by law enforcement after making a “positive” ID, then by lawyers from both sides, perhaps in a deposition, and finally in court in front of jurors and the judge.
While eyewitness testimony may well be the most persuasive form of evidence presented in court, its accuracy may be seriously flawed. Alarmingly, faulty eyewitness testimony has been implicated in at least 75 percent of DNA exoneration cases – more than any other cause. Speaking to an experienced Chicago, IL criminal defense attorney about potential eyewitness testimony can be crucial to the outcome of your trial.