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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: J. C. Dithers who wrote (49115)	6/5/2002 9:31:38 AM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

It's baffling as to how and why something in our subconscious seems to gradually edit and rewrite our memories. What is even more interesting is how, when we do it, we think we are in a process of clarifying our memory. But, when others do it, we think that they are spinning or lying or wriggling out or some other devious thing.

To: J. C. Dithers who wrote (49115)	6/5/2002 11:06:07 AM
From: The Philosopher	Respond to of 82486

One of the dirty little secrets of criminal law practice is the unreliability of eyewitness statements. By the time the lawyers are done interviewing their witnesses, which of course doesn't include formally prepping for the jury, wink wink, the story has usually gotten clear in their minds the way the prosecution or defense (depending on whose witness it is) wants it to come out. But if you sat in on any of the initial interviews with these witnesses you would be amazed at the difference between that and their trial testimony. I loved the case where the defense attorney asked that witness "and are you sure you assailant was over six feet tall" and the witness said "Of course I'm sure." "It was dark and you were frightened. How can you be so sure about a detail like that?" "Because he (pointing to the prosecuting attorney) told me so, and he wouldn't lie." Oops! A woman by the name of Elizabeth Loftus has done some wonderful work in eyewitness testimony and the reasons for its unreliability. Very impressive stuff, and scary when you realize how much faith juries put in eyewitness testimony.