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A Costly Mistake

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Grantham University
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Running head: A COSTLY MISTAKE 1
A Costly Mistake
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A COSTLY MISTAKE 2
A Costly Mistake
Eyewitnesses play a significant role in the processes of identifying suspects and availing
the pieces of evidence needed to make the necessary convictions. Davies et al., (2016) explain
that flawed eye witness identification processes in the United States account for about 70% of
the over 360 wrongful convictions that have been overturned by the underlying DNA pieces of
evidence. Mr. Ronald Cotton faced his exoneration in 1995 after spending one decade behind the
bars for a crime that he did not commit. A critical analysis of Mr. Cotton’s case reveals multiple
flaws in the eyewitness identification procedures undertaken by the investigating agencies. The
current study seeks to undertake a critical analysis of the reasons that led to the false
identification of Mr. Cotton while evaluating the police lineup procedure put in place.
The suspect identification challenges that were associated with Mr. Cotton’s case were
strongly attributed to the processes adopted in fostering the collection of evidence. Davies et al.,
(2016) explain that effective identification of suspects and eyewitnesses in criminal cases needs
to incorporate standards such as double blind administration to minimize the challenges that are
associated with misidentification. In Cotton’s case, Thompson-Cannino (the rape victim) was
highly confident that it was Cotton who had raped her. However, further investigations revealed
that she was wrong. A critical analysis of the processes adopted to conduct the investigations
point out to the issues of inefficient testing of biological samples needed to make effective
conviction. Instead, the law enforcement officers involved in this case only chose to rely on the
sketch presented by the accuser as well objects under Cotton’s possession that resembled those
of Thompson-Cannino.
Similarly, the fragile nature of the eyewitness testimony had a great contribution to the
flawed process that led to the identification of Cotton as a key suspect. Davies et al., (2016)

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Running head: A COSTLY MISTAKE 1 A Costly Mistake Name Institution Date A COSTLY MISTAKE 2 A Costly Mistake Eyewitnesses play a significant role in the processes of identifying suspects and availing the pieces of evidence needed to make the necessary convictions. Davies et al., (2016) explain that flawed eye witness identification processes in the United States account for about 70% of the over 360 wrongful convictions that have been overturned by the underlying DNA pieces of evidence. Mr. Ronald Cotton faced his exoneration in 1995 after spending one decade behind the bars for a crime that he did not commit. A critical analysis of Mr. Cotton’s case reveals multiple flaws in the eyewitness identification procedures undertaken by the investigating agencies. The current study seeks to undertake a critical analysis of the reasons that led to the false identification of Mr. Cotton while evaluating the police lineup procedure put in place. The suspect identification challenges that were associated with Mr. Cotton’s case were strongly attributed to the processes adopted in fostering the collection of evidence. Davies et al., (2016) explain that effective identification of suspe ...
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