Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026
09:49
Holistic Facial Composite Creation and Subsequent Video Line-up Eyewitness Identification Paradigm
Published on: December 24, 2015
Eyewitness testimony in the Lockerbie bombing case.
1a Department of Psychology & Social Behavior and Department of Criminology, Law & Society , University of California , Irvine , CA , USA.
Memory (Hove, England)
|February 27, 2013
Summary
Eyewitness testimony in the Pan Am Lockerbie bombing case raised doubts. A review suggested the conviction of Al-Megrahi might have been a miscarriage of justice due to questionable evidence.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Science
- Legal Studies
- Criminal Justice
Background:
- The 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 bombing over Lockerbie resulted in 270 fatalities.
- Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was convicted for the bombing, with key evidence being eyewitness identification.
- Concerns regarding the reliability of the conviction have persisted.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically analyze the eyewitness testimony used in the Al-Megrahi conviction.
- To assess the potential for a miscarriage of justice in the Lockerbie bombing case.
- To present findings to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission.
Main Methods:
- Detailed examination of the shopkeeper's eyewitness identification.
- Forensic analysis of the alleged clothing purchase linked to the bombing.
- Review of evidence presented to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission.
Main Results:
- The analysis cast doubt on the accuracy and reliability of the eyewitness identification.
- Discrepancies were found in the details surrounding the alleged purchase of clothing.
- The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission acknowledged the potential for a miscarriage of justice.
Conclusions:
- The conviction of Al-Megrahi may be a miscarriage of justice.
- Eyewitness testimony requires rigorous scrutiny, especially in high-stakes criminal cases.
- Further review of the Lockerbie bombing conviction is warranted based on evidence analysis.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Eyewitness Memory
Eyewitness memory refers to the recollection of events by someone who has directly witnessed them, often serving as critical evidence in legal settings. This type of memory is commonly used in criminal cases where a witness describes details like a suspect's appearance, clothing, or behavior during a crime. However, despite its perceived reliability, eyewitness memory is prone to significant errors.
One such error is memory distortion, which occurs because human memory does not function like a...
One such error is memory distortion, which occurs because human memory does not function like a...
01:16Flashbulb Memory
A flashbulb memory is a highly vivid and detailed memory, often linked to events of significant emotional impact. These memories stand out in contrast to everyday memories due to their clarity and the precision with which they are recalled. The strong emotions associated with the event act as a catalyst, ensuring that specific details, such as one's location, actions, and even peripheral elements, are etched into memory with remarkable accuracy. For example, many people can vividly recall where...
01:18False Memories
False memories represent a cognitive distortion in which individuals recall events that did not happen, or remember them in an altered form. This phenomenon highlights the brain's constructive nature in processing and recalling memories, emphasizing that memory is not a perfect representation of past events but rather a dynamic reconstruction influenced by various factors.
One primary source of false memories is misattribution, where individuals incorrectly associate external information with...
One primary source of false memories is misattribution, where individuals incorrectly associate external information with...
02:09Bystander Effect
The discussion of bullying highlights the problem of witnesses not intervening to help a victim. This is a common occurrence, as the following well-publicized event demonstrates. In 1964, in Queens, New York, a 19-year-old woman named Kitty Genovese was attacked by a person with a knife near the back entrance to her apartment building and again in the hallway inside her apartment building. When the attack occurred, she screamed for help numerous times and eventually died from her stab wounds.
01:20Traumatic Memory
Emotionally traumatic events often lead to memories that are exceptionally vivid and enduring, sometimes persisting with remarkable clarity throughout an individual's life. A classic example of this phenomenon is a person who survives a car accident. Even years later, they may recall every detail of the event with startling accuracy — the screeching of the tires, the jarring impact, and the acrid smell of burning rubber. Such vividness contrasts sharply with how an individual remembers mundane...
01:15Theory of Attribution I: Correspondent Inference Theory
Correspondent inference theory, proposed by Jones and Davis in 1965, seeks to explain how individuals infer stable personality traits from observed behaviors. It suggests that people attribute actions to underlying dispositions rather than external circumstances, particularly when the behavior appears intentional and socially significant.Voluntary Behavior and Dispositional AttributionAccording to this theory, individuals are more likely to attribute behavior to personal traits when it appears...