辯方證人：一個心理學家的法庭故事

by Elizabeth F. Loftus

　伯納多‧皮加諾，一位羅馬天主教的神父，曾經被七位目擊證人宣誓指認，就是連續持械搶劫的凶手，但後來檢方撤回控訴，因為真凶克勞舍出面坦承犯罪。克勞舍說，他沒有早點出面，是因他原本以為皮加諾神父不會有事。

　本書取材自羅芙托斯以專家證人身份參與審判的八個真實案例，藉由現實生活中的法庭劇，闡明心理學，尤其是有關記憶、心理學的研究心得。故事內容是根據實際個案的審判筆錄、警方報告、新聞報導等書面紀錄，並且與證人、被告、檢方、辯護律師、陪審員等訪談後所寫成。

　刑事審判，往往牽涉到被告的生與死、自由或監禁，被告有罪、無罪的關鍵則往往繫於證人，尤其是目擊證人的證詞。證人的證詞可信嗎？這幾乎是許多刑事審判的核心問題。但是，在心理學深入研究以前，我們對於證人的認知與記憶程序，卻可以說是一無所知。

　在本書中，羅芙托斯充分流露出她悲天憫人的人道理想，筆鋒常帶感情，在每個案例中，讀者都可以感受到她對無辜者的關懷、對司法正義的失望、對沉冤待雪的焦躁、對於真相的懷疑，以及案情峰迴路轉的期待。這本書不只是專業的法庭科學報告，也是一本人道關懷的好書。

320 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 1999

About the author

Elizabeth F. Loftus is an American cognitive psychologist and expert on human memory. She has conducted extensive research on the malleability of human memory. As well as her prolific work inside the laboratory, Loftus has been heavily involved in applying her research to legal settings; she has consulted or provided expert witness testimony for hundreds of cases. Loftus has been recognized throughout the world for her work, receiving numerous awards and honorary degrees. In 2002, Loftus was ranked 58th in the Review of General Psychology’s list of the 100 most influential psychological researchers of the 20th century, and was the highest ranked woman on the list.

Appeared on TED in June 2013
http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_lo...

Loftus received her Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and psychology with highest honors from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1966. She received her MA in 1967 and Ph.D in 1970 (both in mathematical psychology and both from Stanford University). She has taught at many universities, including the University of California at Irvine and the University of Washington. Loftus has been the president of the Association for Psychological Science (1998–99), the Western Psychological Association (1984, 2004-5), and the American Psychology-Law Society.

Reviews

[Nightkid · Rating 4 out of 5]

　　本書講述了作者作為專家證人，出席各種法庭訴訟，指證記憶之不可靠性的經歷。
　　看到書中一個個無辜者，因為目擊證人的記憶被遺忘、被重組、被扭曲，結果招致的牢獄之災的過程，感覺實在很糟糕。
　　或許，我們該慶幸現代法醫學、鑑識學的興起，讓無辜者得以證明自己的清白。