Prof. Colin Miller, Can I Get A(n Eye) Witness: 60 Minutes Story Exposes Problems With Eyewitness IDs, Evidence Prof Blog, 9 March 2009.
Those of you who watched 60 Minutes last night saw the interesting story, Eyewitness: How Accurate is Visual Memory?
And the answer is, "Not very." The story detailed how Jennifer Thompson
misidentified Ronald Cotton as her rapist, leading to his wrongful
incarceration for 11 years, before he was exonerated by DNA evidence.
The story then went on to note that 75% of prisoners exonerated based
upon DNA evidence were convicted in part based upon incorrect
eyewitness testimony and pondered why that testimony was inaccurate.
And the answer is, "Not very." The story detailed how Jennifer Thompson
misidentified Ronald Cotton as her rapist, leading to his wrongful
incarceration for 11 years, before he was exonerated by DNA evidence.
The story then went on to note that 75% of prisoners exonerated based
upon DNA evidence were convicted in part based upon incorrect
eyewitness testimony and pondered why that testimony was inaccurate.