Police lineup

Police lineup

A police lineup (in American English) or identity parade (in British English) is a process by which a crime victim or witness's putative identification of a suspect is confirmed to a level that can count as evidence at trial.

The suspect, along with several other individuals (called "fillers" or "foils") of similar height, complexion and build (these can be prisoners, actors or just people off the street) stand both facing and in profile while the person making the identification views from behind a one-way mirror. Alternatively, photographs of the suspect and fillers can be shown to the identifier in what is called a "photo-lineup". If the victim or witness successfully identifies the suspect from among the fillers, the identification is considered valid. There is some research into using other methods of photo-lineup that involve the witness sequentially viewing photographs rather than simultaneously. [cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/19/us/19lineup.html?hp&ex=1145505600&en=b7b63a2acebd39f0&ei=5094&partner=homepage |publisher=New York Times |title=Study Fuels a Growing Debate Over Police Lineups |author=Kate Zernike |accessdate=2007-07-07 |date=2006-04-19]

For evidence from a lineup to be admissible in court, the lineup itself must be conducted fairly. The police may not say or do anything that persuades the witness to identify the suspect that they prefer. This includes loading the lineup with people who look very dissimilar to the suspect. [cite web |url=http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mlineups.htm |work=The Straight Dope |title=Where do police get the people for lineups? |accessdate=2007-07-07 |date=21 November 2006]

References


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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • lineup — n. 1) a police lineup (AE; BE has identification parade) 2) (AE) to be in a lineup (as a suspect) * * * a police lineup (AE; BE has identification parade) (AE) to be in a lineup (as a suspect) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • Lineup — Line up Line up , Lineup Line up (l[imac]n [u^]p), n. 1. The members of a team who are scheduled to play a game. [PJC] 2. Specifically: The formation of football players before the start or a restart of play. [PJC] 3. Specifically: (baseball) a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lineup — {n.} 1. An alignment of objects in a straight line. * /A lineup of Venus and the moon can be a very beautiful sight in the night sky./ 2. An arrangement of suspects through a one way mirror so that the victim or the witness of a crime can… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • lineup — {n.} 1. An alignment of objects in a straight line. * /A lineup of Venus and the moon can be a very beautiful sight in the night sky./ 2. An arrangement of suspects through a one way mirror so that the victim or the witness of a crime can… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • lineup — noun 1. An alignment of objects in a straight line. A lineup of Venus and the moon can be a very beautiful sight in the night sky. 2. An arrangement of suspects through a one way mirror so that the victim or the witness of a crime can identify… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • lineup — line·up n: a line of persons assembled by police esp. for possible identification of a suspect by a witness to a crime compare showup Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. lin …   Law dictionary

  • lineup — also line up, from LINE (Cf. line) (v.2) + UP (Cf. up). The baseball version (1889) is older than the police version (1907) …   Etymology dictionary

  • lineup — ☆ lineup [līn′up΄ ] n. an arrangement of persons or things in or as in a line; specif., a) a group lined up by police, one of whom a witness is to identify as a suspect b) a schedule of television programs c) Sports a list of the players, often… …   English World dictionary

  • lineup — /luyn up /, n. 1. a particular order or disposition of persons or things as arranged or drawn up for action, inspection, etc. 2. the persons or things themselves. 3. (in police investigations) a group of persons, including suspects in a crime,… …   Universalium

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