If you find yourself facing criminal charges, then it means the prosecution has some form of evidence against you. However, the strength of this evidence can be tested and it is often far from conclusive.
One common form of evidence brought forward in criminal cases is eyewitness testimony. Essentially, this involves one or more people giving their account of what happened.
The truth is, it is actually very difficult for a person to accurately recall events. Human memory is far from perfect, and here’s why.
False memories are common
It is wrong to think of human memory as a video camera that stores information and plays it back in exactly the same way. The more time that passes, the more gaps that exist in the memory. By the time a criminal trial comes around, which can be months or even years, a person may remember very little about the event at all.
However, they will be susceptible to outside influences. They may have read about the case in the papers, heard their neighbors talking about it or been interviewed multiple times by the police. What comes out on the day of the trial should be nothing but the truth, as ultimately, your freedom is at stake.
It is up to the prosecution to prove that you are guilty beyond all reasonable doubt. The legal guidance that you have behind you throughout your trial should be able to expose any flaws in the prosecution’s narrative or inaccurate memories from eyewitnesses.