Light 'Em Up

Step Forward, Turn to the Right, Turn to the Left, Step Backward. You've Been 𝐌𝐒𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐀𝐞𝐧π₯𝐲 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐒𝐟𝐒𝐞𝐝 by an Eyewitness - Your Nightmare Has Just Begun. A Troubling Look at 𝐌𝐒𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐀𝐞𝐧 π„π²πžπ°π’π­π§πžπ¬π¬ 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐒𝐟𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐬

β€’ Phillip Rizzo β€’ Season 3 β€’ Episode 7

Welcome to this new episode of: Light β€˜Em Up!  We are now being heard in 93 countries! Thank you!

On this explosive episode, we shine the β€œlight of the truthβ€œ on Eyewitness Mistaken Identifications.

From behind the one-way mirrored glass in a dimly lit room in the precinct police station, the police detective (or line-up administrator) has just given you these instructions:

β€œTurn to the right, turn to the left, step forward, step backward.” This is the opening scene in your personal nightmare.  You’ve just been identified – mistakenly – in the commission of a major felony, and arrested.  As this nightmare unfolds in front of your very own eyes, the horror continues: You go to trial, are wrongly convicted, and sentenced to life in prison for a crime you did not commit.

Trust in the fact that this happens more often than a person may care to know.

Mistaken identifications in a criminal justice setting are a leading factor in wrongful convictions and are the leading cause of wrongful convictions in sexual assault and robbery cases.

Let’s not be naΓ―ve nor be in denial about the facts – while African Americans make up only about 13% of the U.S. population, they represent a majority of innocent defendants wrongfully convicted of crimes and later exonerated.

People wrongfully convicted are exonerated for a variety of reasons: Official misconduct, perjury, false forensic evidence, false confessions, etc. By far the single greatest cause of wrongful convictions nationwide is eyewitness error.

An eyewitness could be 100% confident and still be 100% wrong. Two exonerees were condemned to death and their sentences were carried out.

We delve into:

● the definition of an β€œin-custody eyewitness lineup” and explore the β€œprocedural safeguards” (that prior to 1967 did not exist) in order to protect defendants from erroneous conviction resulting from mistaken eyewitness identifications.

● best-practice solutions as to how to protect suspects and defendants from the devastating and life-changing consequences of mistaken eyewitness identification.

●to educate and empower you, we have painstakingly β€œcleaned up” and digitally re-mastered a portion of the original oral argument from U.S. v Wade (1967), argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. The landmark decision established 5th & 6th Amendment privileges of the right against self-incrimination and the right to counsel as it pertained to in-custody eyewitness lineups.

● we’ve itemized the 5 step β€œmodel lineup procedure” and discuss the traditional eyewitness identification practices and problems with the process.  Would it surprise you to hear that the NYPD uses Adobe Photoshop to β€œdoctor” its in-custody β€œfiller” photos?

In order to continue to be a voice to the voiceless – we probe this perplexing issue that the Supreme Court has been grappling with for more than half of a century.

You, I, anyone can be arrested.  Jesus was arrested.  Just because you were arrested – doesn’t mean you committed the crime. You’ve been β€œfingered” in a lineup, now what will you do?  Know your rights – before you’re β€œrailroaded” for a crime you didn’t commit.

We’d like to thank our friends at Feedspot, as recently we were honored by being ranked #10 in their most recent poll out of the 40 Best Criminal Justice Podcasts.  Visit their blog at www.Feedspot.com or simply follow this link:  Best 40 Criminal Justice Podcasts You Follow in 2022 (feedspot.com)

And for all your news and current affairs check out our friends at Newsly by visiting https://newsly.me.  Use th

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Phillip Rizzo