Can't Always Rely On Eyewitness Testimony

By Amy E. Feldman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - What kind of evidence is more reliable than eye witness testimony?

How can the question of whether a dress is blue and black or white and gold affect our notion of justice? Not because of the fact that this stupid question knocked the American sniper trial off the headlines. Although, really people? Rather, it helps answer the question of what kind of evidence is more reliable than eye witness testimony.

Anyone who watched the movie My Cousin Vinny could tell you the answer: almost every kind.

An article in Findlaw.com reported a study conducted by The Innocence Project which found that eyewitness testimony was responsible for about 75% of all convictions that were later overturned based on DNA evidence. In addition to confusion caused by police techniques like looking through books of mugshots, questioning of eyewitnesses like 'what color hat was the mugger wearing?' can create memories that a mugger was, in fact, wearing a hat in the first place.

If the fashion police have taught us anything, it's that we have too much time on our hands. And also, just because you've seen something with your own eyes, as Vincent Gambini also showed, doesn't make it true.