During a lineup, should the witness see the suspect in custody?

During a lineup, should the witness see the suspect in custody?

• A. Witness should not see the suspect in custody
• B. The suspect should be escorted separately
• C. The lineup should be conducted with the suspect in custody
• D. The witness should be allowed in the room with the lineup

Answer: (A)

The main idea is to keep eyewitness identifications fair and non-suggestive. If the witness sees the suspect in custody, cues like restraints, police officers nearby, or the impression that the person is already proven guilty can bias the witness’s memory and lead to a biased or unreliable identification. To protect accuracy, the lineup should be presented in a neutral setting where the suspect is not visibly restrained or singled out by custody status, and the fillers resemble the suspect in appearance so no one stands out for non-memory reasons. This helps ensure the witness’s choice reflects recall of the offender, not the police context or the suspect’s custody. The other options would introduce cues or biases—separating the suspect, presenting a custodyed person, or allowing the witness to be in a way that could influence the lineup—each of which undermines a fair, reliable identification.

The main idea is to keep eyewitness identifications fair and non-suggestive. If the witness sees the suspect in custody, cues like restraints, police officers nearby, or the impression that the person is already proven guilty can bias the witness’s memory and lead to a biased or unreliable identification. To protect accuracy, the lineup should be presented in a neutral setting where the suspect is not visibly restrained or singled out by custody status, and the fillers resemble the suspect in appearance so no one stands out for non-memory reasons. This helps ensure the witness’s choice reflects recall of the offender, not the police context or the suspect’s custody. The other options would introduce cues or biases—separating the suspect, presenting a custodyed person, or allowing the witness to be in a way that could influence the lineup—each of which undermines a fair, reliable identification.