Brief for the American Psychological Association as Amicus Curiae in Support of Appellant
American Psychological Association
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Summary

Single-photograph identifications are inherently suggestive and should be presumed inadmissible because they distort memory, inflate witness confidence, contaminate later identifications, and create a high risk of wrongful conviction.

2017 | State Juristiction

Brief for the American Psychological Association as Amicus Curiae in Support of Appellant

Keywords Single-photograph identifications; inadmissible; distort memory; witness confidence; wrongful conviction; witness confidence; memory distortion
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Summary

A single photograph used to identify a person is inherently suggestive. This method is likely to be deemed inadmissible in court. It can distort a person's memory and make a witness more confident than they should be. It also contaminates any future attempts at identification and significantly increases the chance of an innocent person being wrongly convicted.

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Summary

Single-photograph identifications are generally considered unreliable and should not be allowed in court. This method can change how a witness remembers an event, make them too sure about their identification, and negatively affect any future identification processes. Ultimately, using single-photograph identifications significantly increases the chance of an incorrect conviction.

Open Amicus Brief as PDF

Summary

Identifying a person from a single photograph is not reliable. This method can change a witness's memory and make them too sure of their choice. It can also affect future attempts to identify the person. These issues increase the chance of convicting an innocent person.

Open Amicus Brief as PDF

Summary

Showing a single photo to identify someone is not a fair process. It can change how a person remembers things and make them too sure about their choice. This can mess up any future attempts to identify someone. Such a method greatly increases the chance of putting the wrong person in jail.

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Footnotes and Citation

Cite

Brief for the American Psychological Association as Amicus Curiae in Support of Appellant, People v. Thomas, No. 155245 (Mich. Oct. 17, 2017)

Highlights