What is the purpose of impeachment of a witness in criminal proceedings?
The purpose of impeachment of a witness in criminal proceedings is to attack the credibility or truthfulness of the witness. Impeachment typically happens in a cross-examination, where lawyers seek to cast doubt on the witness’s statements. Impeachment of a witness can take several forms, including questioning the witness’s recollection, suggesting bias or motivation to lie, and introducing prior inconsistent statements. In Massachusetts, impeachment can also involve introducing evidence of a prior conviction to show the witness is untrustworthy or lacking in credibility. In Massachusetts, impeachment is an important tool for the defense and the prosecution in a criminal trial. The defense may use impeachment to challenge the truthfulness of a witness who is key to the prosecution’s case. The prosecution may impeach a witness who is hostile to its case or who may be unable to remember events clearly. By attacking the witness’s truthfulness, the jury is less likely to believe their testimony. When a witness is impeached, the jury is instructed to consider the testimony of the witness with great caution. This is because the witness has been called into question and the jury is not sure they can trust the witness or their testimony. The jury needs to carefully evaluate the impeachment and decide if it believes the witness, or if the witness’s credibility has been damaged, before deciding on a verdict.
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