What Jurors Should Know about Informants: The Need for Expert Testimony

Abstract

This Article will first explore the problem of wrongful convictions resulting in part from false informant testimony. Eyewitness exoneration has gotten considerable attention by the courts. False informant testimony exoneration has gotten less attention than other causes of exoneration. We will argue for the use of expert witnesses to assist the juries. We will explore the acceptance of expert witnesses in eyewitness identification cases. It will be our main argument that a similar approach of utilizing expert witnesses should be taken with regard to informant testimony. We will then examine the acceptance of expert testimony regarding informants using the state of Connecticut as an example. Finally, we will explore the value of the expert testimony regarding informants to demonstrate the information the fact finder should know in evaluating the credibility of an informant witness.