THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2304

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012

S.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that recent studies have shown that eyewitness identification procedures currently used by law enforcement officials may lead to faulty eyewitness identifications in law enforcement investigations.  Studies have also shown that erroneous eyewitness identifications may be significantly decreased by implementing certain changes to eyewitness identification procedures.  Eyewitness identifications that are more accurate and reliable increase the ability of police and prosecutors to convict the guilty and protect the people of this State.

     The purpose of this Act is to require new eyewitness identification procedures to improve the accuracy and reliability of eyewitness identifications in law enforcement investigations.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 801, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"PART   .  EYEWITNESS IDENTIFICATION

     §801-    Definitions.  For the purposes of this part:

     "Eyewitness" means a person who observes another person at or near the scene of an offense.

     "Filler" means a person or a photograph of a person who is not suspected of an offense and is included in an identification procedure.

     "Identification procedure" means a live lineup or photo lineup.

     "Investigator" means the person conducting the live lineup or photo lineup.

     "Live lineup" means a procedure in which a group of persons, including the person suspected of being the perpetrator of an offense and other persons not suspected of the offense, is displayed to an eyewitness for the purpose of determining whether the eyewitness is able to identify the suspect as the perpetrator.

     "Photo lineup" means a procedure in which an array of photographs, including a photograph of the person suspected of being the perpetrator of an offense and photographs of other persons not suspected of the offense, is displayed to an eyewitness for the purpose of determining whether the eyewitness is able to identify the suspect as the perpetrator.

     §801-    Eyewitness identification procedures.  Not later than January 1, 2013, each county police department and all state investigative agencies identified by the attorney general shall adopt procedures for conducting live lineups and photo lineups that comply with the following requirements:

     (1)  When practicable, the investigator shall be a person who is not aware of which person in the lineup is suspected of being the perpetrator of the offense;

     (2)  When it is not practicable for the investigator to be a person who is not aware of which person in the lineup is suspected of being the perpetrator of the offense:

         (A)  The lineup shall be presented simultaneously, not sequentially; and

         (B)  The investigator shall state in writing the reason why the lineup was not conducted by a person who was not aware of which person in the live lineup or photo lineup was suspected of being the perpetrator of the offense;

     (3)  The eyewitness shall be instructed prior to the identification procedure:

         (A)  That the suspected perpetrator may not be among the persons in the live lineup or photo lineup; and

         (B)  That the eyewitness should not feel compelled to make an identification;

     (4)  When a live lineup or photo lineup is conducted in sequence rather than simultaneously:

         (A)  Each person or photograph shall be viewed one at a time;

         (B)  The persons or photographs shall be displayed in random order;

         (C)  The eyewitness shall take as much time as needed to make a decision about each person or photograph before viewing the next person or photograph; and

         (D)  All persons or photographs in the live lineup or photo lineup shall be shown to the eyewitness, even if an identification is made before all persons or photographs have been viewed;

     (5)  The fillers in a live lineup or photo lineup shall generally fit the description of the person suspected of being the perpetrator and, in the case of a photo lineup, the photograph of the person suspected of being the perpetrator shall resemble the suspect's appearance at the time of the offense and shall not unduly stand out;

     (6)  If the eyewitness has previously viewed a live lineup or photo lineup in connection with the identification of another person suspected of being involved in the offense, the fillers in the lineup that includes the person suspected of being the perpetrator shall be different from the fillers used in any prior lineups viewed by the eyewitness;

     (7)  A live lineup shall include at least four fillers and a photo lineup shall include at least five fillers, in addition to the person suspected of being the perpetrator;

     (8)  In a photo lineup, no writings or information concerning any previous arrest of the person suspected of being the perpetrator shall be visible to the eyewitness;

     (9)  In a live lineup, any actions, such as speaking or gesturing or other movements that may identify the person suspected of being the perpetrator, shall be performed by all lineup participants;

    (10)  In a live lineup, all lineup participants shall be out of the view of the eyewitness prior to and at the beginning of the identification procedure;

    (11)  The person suspected of being the perpetrator shall be the only suspect included in the identification procedure;

    (12)  Nothing shall be said to the eyewitness regarding the position in the live lineup or photo lineup of the person suspected of being the perpetrator, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (3);

    (13)  Nothing shall be said to the eyewitness that might influence the eyewitness' selection of the person suspected of being the perpetrator;

    (14)  The investigator shall seek to obtain from the eyewitness, in the eyewitness' own words, the eyewitness' level of confidence that the person or persons identified in the live lineup or photo lineup are the suspects;

    (15)  If the eyewitness identifies a person as the perpetrator, the eyewitness shall not be provided any information concerning the person prior to obtaining the eyewitness' statement that the eyewitness is certain of the selection; and

    (16)  A written record of the identification procedure shall be made that includes the following information:

         (A)  All results indicating the eyewitness' identification or inability to identify a person as the perpetrator obtained during the identification procedure, signed by the eyewitness, including the eyewitness' statement regarding how certain the eyewitness is of the selection;

         (B)  The names of all persons present at the identification procedure;

         (C)  The date and time of the identification procedure;

         (D)  In a live lineup or photo lineup where the persons or photographs were presented sequentially as opposed to simultaneously, the order in which the persons or photographs were displayed to the eyewitness;

         (E)  In a photo lineup, the photographs themselves, identification information, and the sources of all photographs used; and

         (F)  In a live lineup, a photograph or other visual recording of the lineup that includes all persons who participated in the lineup.

     §801-    Remedies for noncompliance.  (a)  Any evidence of a failure to comply with this part shall be:

     (1)  Considered by the trial court in adjudicating motions to suppress eyewitness identification; and

     (2)  Admissible at trial or hearings in support of claims of eyewitness misidentification; provided that the evidence is otherwise admissible.

     (b)  When any evidence of a failure to comply with the provisions of this part has been presented at trial, the jury shall be instructed that it may consider credible evidence of noncompliance in determining the reliability of eyewitness identifications.

     §801-    Training of law enforcement officers.  The attorney general shall create, administer, and conduct training programs for law enforcement officers and recruits on the methods and technical aspects of the eyewitness identification practices and procedures required in this part.  The attorney general shall fund the training programs with appropriations specifically designated for the training programs."

     SECTION 3.  Chapter 801, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by designating sections 801-1 through 801-5 as part I, entitled "General Provisions".

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.



 

Report Title:

Criminal Procedure; Eyewitness Identification of Suspects; Live Lineups and Photo Lineups

 

Description:

Establishes procedures for eyewitness identification of persons in live lineups and photo lineups who are suspected of perpetrating an offense.  Effective 07/01/50.  (SD2)

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.