Legal Definitions - eyewitness identification

Eyewitness identification refers to the process where an individual who personally observed an event provides testimony or information identifying a person or persons they believe were involved in that event, based on their memory.

This type of identification is often crucial in legal proceedings, as it directly links an individual to an incident through a firsthand account.

• Example 1: A convenience store clerk, who was present during a robbery, later picks out a suspect from a police photo array. This is an eyewitness identification because the clerk personally observed the robbery and is identifying an individual based on their recollection of the event.

• Example 2: During a civil lawsuit concerning a disputed property boundary, a neighbor testifies that they clearly saw a specific contractor installing a fence on a particular date. This constitutes an eyewitness identification as the neighbor observed the activity and is identifying the contractor involved from memory.

• Example 3: After a hit-and-run accident, a pedestrian who witnessed the incident describes the driver and the vehicle to the police, leading to the identification of a potential suspect. This is an eyewitness identification because the pedestrian saw the event unfold and is providing identifying details about the person involved based on their memory.