True Witness: Cops, Courts, Science, and the Battle against Misidentification - Hardcover

Doyle, James M.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1403964300 ISBN 13: 9781403964304

Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2005

Synopsis

Honest but mistaken eyewitnesses are the leading cause of wrongful convictions in the United States. As the innocent go to prison their lives are shattered; as the criminal goes free, the public remains vulnerable. With a vivid cast of brilliant scientists, street-wise cops, and former prosecutors--all haunted by the legacy of wrongful convictions, some directly involved with one--Doyle sheds light on the intersection of personal ambition, legal and political principles, and scientific inquiry. He highlights real possibilities for improved identification, their challenges to the legal tradition, and persuasively argues that the promises of improved justice must be realized before another wrongful conviction lets the guilty go free. This is an important look at a pressing issue in the news with every exoneration.

About this title

About the Author:

James M. Doyle is a veteran litigator, the leading legal authority on eyewitness testimony and the coauthor, with Elizabeth Loftus, of Eyewitness Testimony: Civil and Criminal, "The Bible" for lawyers. He lives in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Review:

“Jim Doyle's new book, True Witness, could not have come at a more opportune time to help inform and shape the growing and intensifying national debate about the value and reliability of eye witness identification testimony. A factual story that reads like fiction, not like an academic treatise, Doyle's book will attract and hold the attention of people on all sides of this important issue. Prosecutors, defense attorneys, police investigators, jurists and the public cannot help but benefit from exposure to True Witness.” ―William J. Bratton, Chief of Police, Los Angeles, and former Police Commissioner of New York City and Boston

“True Witness moves like a novel as it provides the reader with real people facing enormous odds against the flaws of eye witness identification, yet often emerging victorious. Any reader who is fascinated with the criminal justice system will love this work -- cheering for the innocent as well as those who catch the guilty. You cannot put this book down.” ―Rikki Klieman, Trial Attorney, Today Show Legal Analyst and Court TV Anchor

“As someone who has been in the forefront of the battle against mistaken identification, I can say that Doyle has captured the tensions and challenges, the characters and the issues, like no one else.” ―Elizabeth Loftus, co-author of Witness for the Defense and The Myth of Repressed Memory

“Anyone who is interested in knowing why eyewitnesses make mistakes -- the single greatest cause of wrongful convictions and how best to prevent those errors should buy this very readable book.” ―Barry Scheck, Cardozo Law School, Co-Director, The Innocence Project

“Doyle's work is a gem, its words fly by, its message sinks in deeply–how to avoid convicting the innocent and letting the guilty go free. His tale of colorful characters, memorable cases, three-cornered battles among police, prosecutors and defenders produces a singular insight into how, in the real world, we can make things better. Where we have failed for years, James Doyle shows us how we may finally succeed.” ―James B. Zagel , United States District Judge, Former Director, Illinois State Police

About this edition

• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1403964300
• ISBN 13: 9781403964304
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240