Posted: | February 17, 2015 04:19 PM |
---|---|
From: | Representative Robert F. Matzie |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Eyewitness Identification Procedures |
In the near future, I plan to re-introduce legislation – House Bill 1006, a freestanding act titled the Police Lineup Procedure Act – which would establish procedures and guidelines for eyewitness identification and testimony. According to the American Judicature Society, misidentification by eyewitnesses was the leading cause of wrongful conviction in more than 75 percent of the first 183 DNA exonerations in the United States. Given the vital importance of eyewitness testimony and identification to both the victims and the accused, my legislation would require municipal police departments and the Pennsylvania State Police to adopt procedures for conducting photo and live lineups that comply with certain criteria. The bill also requires:
|
Introduced as HB889