Reference no: EM133042004
Question: Completing this assignment will help you to think critically about expert testimony; the relevant case law; the significance of your dress, demeanor, and deportment; the importance of preparation; and the need to understand judicial proceedings. It is designed to hone your scholarly and professional skills by asking you to testify like a forensic scientist.
In this expert testimony video, you will go through expert qualification, help admit evidence on direct examination, provide an opinion, and respond to cross-examination. Your audience will be the course instructor.
Your video should be approximately 7-10 minutes long and uploaded to Canvas. Due to file size limitations.
Your video should follow the standard judicial procedures. You may wish to have others act as the prosecutor and defense counsel in your video (recommended); however, it is not required that they appear on camera (they may ask questions from behind the camera). Anyone assisting you may read from a script, but you may not. You should be familiar with your qualifications, the evidence you analyzed, and your analysis (method and opinions). You may refer to your analysis report.
Use the text, course material, and additional resources provided in Canvas for this assignment and other modules to aid you in shaping your testimony.
Qualifications
You may choose to "enhance" your actual background of education, training, and experience for this assignment, but it is not required.
In real life testimony, never enhance or embellish your qualifications - it is unethical, and you have taken an oath to tell the truth.
Evidence
Create a scenario (criminal case) to base your testimony on where you acted as a crime scene investigator and/or lab technician/analyst/examiner (i.e. you are a serologist who screened clothing for biological evidence and then collected samples for DNA analysis, you may also wish to use one of your Virtual Crime Scene Practicals from After the Fact).
Create testimony that would allow for the evidence item(s) to be admitted as exhibits.
Analysis
Create further testimony through which you provide the basis for your opinion (method/technique/theory) and your opinion.
Defend your opinion, your method, and your technique under cross-examination.
Be creative and have fun with the assignment.
Artilce 1- How to Prepare for and Manage the Depositions of Expert Witnesses BY MATTHEW D. TAGGART
Artilce 2 - Expert Witness: Effective Courtroom Testimony by Stevee Ashlock