Example

Jennifer Thompson and Ronald Cotton Case

In 1984, Jennifer Thompson, a college student, was raped and subsequently identified Ronald Cotton as the perpetrator from police photos and a lineup. Although she was initially uncertain, a detective reinforced her choice, which contributed to her false identification of Cotton. This case serves as a prominent example of how unintended police cues can lead to eyewitness misidentification.

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Updated 2026-05-04

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