When prosecutors bring criminal charges, they oftentimes basing their case, at least in large part, on the observations and opinions of others. If you’re on the receiving end of those criminal charges, then these witnesses have the power to strip you of your freedom and ruin your future.
But do you feel like those witnesses are lying or misconstruing the facts? If so, then you should take some comfort in knowing that there are legal maneuvers that you can employ to highlight those witnesses’ flaws.
Attacking the credibility of prosecutorial witnesses
Attacking witness credibility could be key to your criminal defense. After all, juries are tasked with giving the appropriate amount of weight to each witness’s testimony. Therefore, if you can draw a witness’s credibility and reliability into question, then you could cause the jury to attribute less weight to that testimony. That, in turn, could lead to a positive outcome.
But how do you go about attacking witness credibility? There are a number of ways. Here are some of them:
- Use depositions that will highlight inconsistent statements made at trial
- Highlight any extrinsic motivation that may cause a witness to testify a certain way, such as a plea deal or immunity
- Present evidence that the witness has a criminal history that speaks to his or her character for untruthfulness
- Demonstrate that the witness, for whatever reason, is biased against you
- Use other, more credible, witnesses to contradict the prosecution’s witness
Keep in mind that successfully attacking witness credibility is going to require thorough preparation of your case, and you’ll also need to be prepared to defend the credibility of your own witnesses.
Do you have the strong criminal defense that you need?
Dealing with witness credibility is just one aspect of a successful criminal defense. With so much on the line in your case, you can’t afford to overlook a single aspect of your defense. That’s why if you want to fully understand your criminal defense options and have help crafting the persuasive legal arguments that you need on your side, then you may want to reach out to a competent firm that is experienced and successful in this area of the law.