Penn & Teller Warn Supreme Court About Deceptive Tactics in Landmark Death Row Case
WASHINGTON - Magicians Penn & Teller have filed a brief with the Supreme Court, arguing that the use of "investigative hypnosis" on a key witness in a Texas murder case is a form of deception that undermines the justice system. The case involves Charles Flores, who was found guilty of shooting a woman in 1998 during a robbery and is now facing a death sentence.
Flores' lawyers claim that his trial was compromised by the use of hypnosis on a neighbor who witnessed the crime. The witness initially described seeing two White men with long hair, but failed to identify Flores, a Hispanic man with short hair, in a photo lineup. After a hypnosis session, the witness changed her story, testifying that she was "100%" sure she saw Flores enter the victim's home.
Penn & Teller, who are known for their expertise in manipulating perception, argue that the hypnosis session was a form of manipulation that can alter memories. They claim that similar techniques are used in magic shows to trick audiences into remembering events differently. The magicians' brief supports Flores' appeal, which argues that the use of hypnosis tainted the trial and raises concerns about the reliability of eyewitness testimony.
The Supreme Court is considering whether to hear Flores' appeal, which has been rejected twice before. Prosecutors argue that Flores has had multiple chances to challenge his conviction and that his latest appeal is simply a rehashing of old claims. However, Flores' attorneys counter that new scientific research on eyewitness memory supports their client's claims of innocence.
The case has sparked concerns about the use of discredited science in capital prosecutions. Texas passed a law in 2013 to help individuals show that flawed science contributed to their wrongful convictions, but the state's highest criminal court has yet to grant relief to any death row prisoner under this law. The Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to hear Flores' appeal by June 15.
Flores' lawyers claim that his trial was compromised by the use of hypnosis on a neighbor who witnessed the crime. The witness initially described seeing two White men with long hair, but failed to identify Flores, a Hispanic man with short hair, in a photo lineup. After a hypnosis session, the witness changed her story, testifying that she was "100%" sure she saw Flores enter the victim's home.
Penn & Teller, who are known for their expertise in manipulating perception, argue that the hypnosis session was a form of manipulation that can alter memories. They claim that similar techniques are used in magic shows to trick audiences into remembering events differently. The magicians' brief supports Flores' appeal, which argues that the use of hypnosis tainted the trial and raises concerns about the reliability of eyewitness testimony.
The Supreme Court is considering whether to hear Flores' appeal, which has been rejected twice before. Prosecutors argue that Flores has had multiple chances to challenge his conviction and that his latest appeal is simply a rehashing of old claims. However, Flores' attorneys counter that new scientific research on eyewitness memory supports their client's claims of innocence.
The case has sparked concerns about the use of discredited science in capital prosecutions. Texas passed a law in 2013 to help individuals show that flawed science contributed to their wrongful convictions, but the state's highest criminal court has yet to grant relief to any death row prisoner under this law. The Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to hear Flores' appeal by June 15.
#News, #USA