Eyewitness+Identification

Innocents

[|Thomas Doswell] He followed a lady that works at the hospital into the cafeteria late at night. He then locked the doors, threatened to kill the victim, then he raped her. A coworker then knocked on the door and Thomas ran away and was chased for 3 blocks. When the lineup of pictures were presented to the victim, there was an R on Doswell's picture, which meant that he was previously convicted, which led to a convection of 13 - 26 years in prision. After several denied attempts for DNA testing and appeals, he was granted a DNA test in 2005, and then was found innocent after spending 19 years in prison.

[|Dale Brison] A 37 year old female victim was walking home from a convenience store when a man approached her, put a hand on her throat and waist, and later stabbed her in her side. The victim became unconcious and when she regained conciousness she was at an apartment complex, when the suspect assulted her repeatidly. During the trial Brison requested DNA testing and was later denied. He was later convicted by a hair sample found at the scene that matched Brison. PA Supreme Court later ruled that DNA testing must be done, if still possible. Afterward Brison was exonerated after serving 3.5 years.

Eyewitness Identification is the number one reason why many wrongful convicts are imprisoned. They are the most compelling and common evidence, which is why prosecutors use them often. Most eyewitnesses make relative judgments because fillers resemble the eyewitness. PA - 9 exonerated, No-compensation law VA- 10 exonerated, Yes-compensation law OH- 8 exonerated, Yes-compensation law