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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 4 page paper examines how police investigators should be interviewed. The importance of these witnesses is highlighted and techniques are shared. Bibliography lists 1 source.
Page Count:
4 pages (~225 words per page)
File: RT13_SA640inv.rtf
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a case. This is where preparation comes in. The relevance of this is important to both the prosecution and the defense. In fact, years ago only the prosecutor had the
right to call witnesses, but today, both sides have the privilege (Swanson, Chamelin, Territo & Taylor, 2006). Witnesses must take an oath when they take the stand (Swanson, Chamelin, Territo
& Taylor, 2006). Yet, this does not mean that they will be entirely truthful, or that their testimony will be accurate. A saying amongst defense lawyers that has become standard
practice is that an attorney should never call a witness unless he or she knows what that witness will say. What a witness says on the stand, his or her
demeanor and whether or not the witness is believable, can make or break a case. One important factor is the witnesses background. For example, juries are prone to disregard testimony
of witnesses with seedy backgrounds. Of course, credibility is not only given to upstanding citizens. In the well known Rabbi murder trial that took place in New Jersey, the hit
men he hired were despicable characters, but the jury believed what they had to say. The police investigator as a witness however seems to be one of the most
important witnesses that one can call to the stand (Swanson, Chamelin, Territo & Taylor, 2006). Of course, it is usually the prosecution who will rely on police witnesses. The
notorious OJ Simpson case saw a Not Guilty verdict in part due to the incompetence of a police officer and his own negative background. Investigators are subject to scrutiny by
the other side as well. The role of the witness is merely to present facts, and when that witness is also an investigator, his role is very relevant. Swanson,
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