Forensic Hypnosis?

[AnthonyM83]

A local organization was hosting a small foresnic hypnotist talk. I couldn't resist going. This guy was said he'd worked with Whittier PD among others on assisting police locate evidence for cases and to help witnesses recall license plate numbers under hypnosis, and with success.

If it works, then that's great, but anyone think that might jeapordize a case in court? I guess if it's not actual defendent testimony under hypnosis and just using in it order to locate physical evidence, it might be okay?

Your thoughts?

[Valor55]

I think any information gathered in such a manner would still have to be corroborated by other evidence.

[scott715us]

I think any information gathered in such a manner would still have to be corroborated by other evidence.

Agreed

[txinvestigator1]

Its just like any other witness testimony. It is subject to cross-examination and impeachment.

But as a rule, AFAIK, there are no special rulings on it as there is the polygraph, for example.

[Verymanynames]

It could solve the case of the missing droids!

[oscarmitre]

In my jurisdiction it would come under the provisions of special witnesses. However to do so the person would have to have formal academic qualifications, be a member of a professional society and be licensed by the state to practise as a hypnotherapist. Yes and their methods and procedures would have to be corroborated and the conclusions drawn would also need corroboration even though opinion is generally accepted from special witnesses. The problem of suggestion would be massive though, but that would be a question of fact left to the jury.

[Joeyd6]

Interesting topis though.....would like to see it done sometime and the results.

[chewy]

I've seen it once, and it appeared to work well. The big thing is that the person getting hypnotised has to be willing to do it and cooperate, and it basically only allows them to remember what they think they saw so it can be subjective and definatly needs to be followed up on and corroborated... however, to just get a plate or address or something when all else fails, it could give that little jump start to the investigation.

[Nole795]

I remember in the academy, we were played an audio tape of a victim that survived a brutal attack in Florida. She was under hypnosis and gave a more detailed description of the attacker. The suspect was Ted Bundy.

That is the only time I have ever heard of it being used.

[retdetsgt]

We trained a couple of detectives to do hypnosis and found it to be a disaster. There are reasons people block memories and we found that to cause them to remember created massive problems for the witnesses. That's an area police need to stay out of.

[spitfire]

I'm not fully convinced hypnosis is a legitimate method for recalling information.

Of course, I've never been hypnotized nor known someone who has, so this is just my own bias talking.

I guess I'm just a bit cynical about how reliable & scientific hypnosis really is, and I'm guessing there are a lot of potenial jurors who feel the same way.

[Valor55]

I guess I'm just a bit cynical about how reliable & scientific hypnosis really is, and I'm guessing there are a lot of potenial jurors who feel the same way.

Which is why any information would have to be corroborated. If the witness was able to recall a tag # from hypnosis you would then need DNA or other evidence in the car that would still link that person to the crime.

I also agree with RDS above. I don't think this should be used except in really serious cases like trying to find a serial killer.

[ngcsubutterbar]

I've had someone try to hyponotize me before. Not in any relation to police or court cases: but it didn't take. Wonder why.

[txinvestigator1]

Wonder why.

Is that rhetorical?

[ngcsubutterbar]

no I really want to know if it only works on some people, ....how it works,.....why it didn't on me........I know nothing about hypnotism.