The Alteration Of Memory In Jennifer Thompson's Picking Cotton

Memory is one the most amazing abilities a human being can have. We have the power to store, retain and recall our past life experiences. Although we can recall our memories, what is important to know is that we also have the power to alter our memories without even knowing. Alteration of memory can happen through current experiences and influences, which is what happened to Jennifer Thompson. She was so sure that Ronald Cotton raped her, that when she faced her actual rapist in court she didn't even recognized him.
Although eyewitness testimonies are important, we have to understand the factors that can affect them. The video only talked about a few ways in how Jennifer's could have gotten altered. In class, we discussed seven more factors. These factors are important to look at because …show more content…
Yes, it was a mistake, but after reading the stories of both Jennifer and Ronald, I only saw Jennifer making the mistake, not the legal personals. They were all determined to put Cotton away. Any evidence that showed his innocence was thrown away or not even considered. And if he made a mistake, as his alibi, it was seen a lying, which only hurt him in the end. Thankfully DNA did prove his innocence, and he was set free, but the years he lost could never be given back. It was a bit disturbing that the video did not talk about the trouble that Ronald Cotton went through in jail. I felt it focused more on the mindset of Jennifer through the whole process. They essentially only talked about one side of this story and made it seem it even happily ever after when in fact Cotton still faced issues once he was set free. It was hard for him to find a job, the state gave him trouble about compensation for the years he spent in jail, and more importantly he had trouble reconnecting to the outside