Eyewitness Accounts and the Michael Brown Ferguson Missouri Case
The Eyewitness Test: How do you stack up?
The Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, has touched off more than a week of demonstrations, arrests and controversy. Each day more facts and eye witness accounts are being given to investigative agencies and eventually shared with the public.
Over the past 28+ years, we’ve represented families harmed by police misconduct and can tell you from firsthand experience that these cases are challenging to investigate. They’re even more difficult to prosecute in the criminal and civil courts. As of this date, the Michael Brown investigation has not been completed. Until it is, we’ll reserve judgment as to what did or didn’t happen the night of August 9, 2014, until all the facts are in.
From a trial lawyer perspective, one of the things that really caught our attention in this case are the substantial differences in many of the eye witness accounts. Regardless of whether an eyewitness believes Michael Brown was a victim or officer Darren Wilson was acting in self-defense, people are giving different accounts about what they heard and observed.
In this unrelated video, a classroom of college students experience just how challenging it can be to give an accurate eyewitness account. Watch the video and take the test. Share how you did in the comments below.