Ronald Cotton Case Study

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Jessica Scott
Mr. Malgeri
Forensic Science
September 28, 2016
Ronald Cotton
It started in July 1984, when a attacker broke into Jennifer Thompson-Cannino's apartment and sexually assaulted her while she was held at knife point. Jennifer stated that when it was happening she just wanted to memorize his face so that if she lived through the horrible crime she would be able to identify him. Later on, Jennifer chose Ronald Cotton, a black restaurant dish washer, out of a photo lineup as the assailant. And chose Cotton in a live line up a second time. She was more than sure that it was him.
Ronald was convicted in January 1985 by the jury for the crime. Evidence presented in the case included similarities of a flashlight found at the crime scene and a flashlight found in Cottons home. Similarities of the rubber of Cottons shoes to the rubber left at the the scene. And the eyewitness testimony. …show more content…
The other pieces of evidence would not have been enough to convict Ronald Cotton of the crime. Faulty procedure of the photo line up and live line up lead to Cottons arrest. During both line ups Jennifer did not know that her attacker could have been missing completely to the lineup. The false assumption that her attacker was definitely in the lead up lead her to feel that she had to pick someone. Another faulty procedure was during the photo line up, after Jennifer chose Cotton she asked the officer that helped her if she did good to which the officer told her she did great. Giving her more than enough of a confidence boost to believe it was

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