Testimony from a fact or expert witness can be effective or ineffective. Effective testimony provides persuasive information to the trier of fact (the judge or jury) in any case. Although truthful and ethical testimony is always the goal, there are ways in which information can be presented that may help forensic psychology professionals to be more effective in their roles as expert witnesses without compromising the truth or their ethics. Expertise, trustworthiness, impression management, and dynamism all will contribute to the effectiveness of a forensic psychology professional's testimony.
It is important to note that the purpose of the forensic psychology professional is not to testify to persuade the trier of fact in any direction or to agree with one side over another. He or she is there to present data and information so that the trier of fact understands the situation, regardless of which side has called him or her to testify.
identify examples of effective testimony in the video Murder on a Sunday Morning and analyze elements of those examples in terms of their efficacy.
To prepare for this Discussion:
View the video Murder on a Sunday Morning. Think about what constitutes an effective testimony and why it is effective.
Select four examples of expert testimony from the video Murder on a Sunday Morning. Consider how and why you think each is effective.
With these thoughts in mind:
a description of the four examples of effective testimony you selected from the video Murder on a Sunday Morning. Then explain why and how you think each is effective, and be sure to identify the elements of each example that contribute to its effectiveness.