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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 14, 2013 12:12 PM |
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| From: | Representative Robert F. Matzie |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Procedures for Eyewitness Identification |
| In the near future, I intend to introduce legislation which would establish procedures and guidelines for eyewitness identification and testimony. Eyewitnesses play a vital role in the judiciary process. Eyewitness testimony can be key in identifying, charging, and convicting a suspect in a criminal case. In some cases, eyewitness evidence may be the only evidence available. However, 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 the following:
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Introduced as HB1006