Brandon Garrett analyzes the fundamental issues surrounding eyewitness misidentification in a new series for Slate. After carefully studying the first 250 cases of wrongful convictions, Garrett-a law professor at the University of Virginia School of Law-notes that "eyewitness misidentifications were the single greatest cause of flawed evidence."
Garrett highlights the case of Ronald Cotton to pinpoint some of the key factors that cause faulty identifications. North Carolina college student Jennifer Thompson misidentified Ronald Cotton as her rapist, leading to Cotton spending 10 years in prison before DNA finally exonerated him in 1995.Ronald Cotton and Jennifer Thompson will be featured speakers at the KBA 2011 Convention in Lexington on June 15th.
Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton
