On the importance of testifying, former state and federal prosecutor Val Van Brocklin remarked:
“A single officer’s ineffective presentation in the courtroom can result in the acquittal of a defendant, no matter the amount of solid evidence you may have collected.”
Take a position. Do you agree or disagree that an “ineffective presentation” by a single witness can lead to a potential acquittal, regardless of all other evidence?
First, title your initial post either “I agree that an ineffective presentation by a single witness can lead to a potential acquittal, regardless of all other evidence,” or “I do not agree that an ineffective presentation by a single witness can lead to a potential acquittal, regardless of all other evidence.”
Then in your initial post, using the information you learned from the resources in this module as the basis for your position, make your case. Is this an exaggeration? How could the testimony of one person lead a jury to consider that testimony over all other evidence? How is nonverbal communication by the witness significant to the “believability” of the testimony?
In your response to your peers, consider the explanation they provide in support of their response. Do you agree with their explanation? Why or why not? What about their explanation is different from yours? Which of their points or arguments make the most sense to you, even if you disagree with their overall position?
