Police
lineups offer a victim the opportunity to identify their attacker, without the
suspect viewing them. For a lineup, five (or six) people of similar appearance
are placed in a row, lined up side by side. All but one of the people are
fillers, people who are not suspected of committing the crime in question.
Photograph lineups are used in this way also. If a photo I.D. is not possible,
then a physical lineup follows.
If
a weapon in used in the commission of a crime, the victim’s attention may be
drawn away from the suspect’s face and make it difficult later for the
eyewitness to select the right suspect from the lineup. On the other hand, it
is possible that the suspect’s use of bare hands during an attack, such as with
the Boston Strangler, will draw attention to unusual features and help an
eyewitness to make a positive identification.
Lineups
can result in mistaken identifications, however. A number of suspects convicted
of crimes on the evidence of eyewitness identification have later been
exonerated for various reasons.
I just love on tv how they always ask the victim are you positive that's the person? I think in stressful situations it would be hard to be positive about anything, but then again depending on what happened the image can be burned into your brain. good post.
ReplyDelete-MJ
Hi MJ,
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting.
Once, it was necessary for me to do a picture/photo line up and I was unable to identify the person in question. In the physical line up, I knew immediately. There are so many variables in play, I guess it is different for each situation.
I think I'd be nervous I'd make a mistake, but then, I've never been in the situation, so I'm glad I've never had to find out!
ReplyDeleteBethie, I can't even imagine having to be in a lineup! I'm sure my guilty expression would give me away!
ReplyDeleteHow did I miss that show?
ReplyDelete