You’re facing the nightmare scenario of going to trial for something you didn’t do. The police and prosecution claim that they have stacks of evidence against you, and amongst this evidence is eyewitness testimony.
You have no idea how this is possible, but it’s happening nonetheless. Eyewitness testimony can indeed be valuable. The trouble is, it isn’t always completely reliable, and here’s why;
People talk
Witnesses know something has happened, but they do not have the full picture. It’s only natural to discuss significant events and this commonly happens between witnesses who believe they have seen a crime. Thus, a group of witnesses may piece together their own fragments of what happened and create a fictional event that never really occurred. You could find yourself caught in the middle of this narrative as the person accused of committing the offense.
Visual obstacles
It’s actually quite rare for a witness to get a fully unobstructed view of a crime. Crimes tend to happen within a matter of seconds. There could be traffic nearby as well as lots of other people. There’s a lot of information for the brain to process and recall later. Additionally, if it’s dark, then matters become much more complicated. Can you really make a 100% accurate identification of someone when it’s pitch black? Sure, it’s possible but extremely difficult.
The human memory is incredible but it is also fallible. Accurately recalling events, particularly after an extended period of time has passed, is very tricky. Having legal guidance on your side will help pick holes in the prosecution’s narrative and give you the best chance of maintaining your innocence.