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Test identification parade---Capacity and ability of the eye-witness to identify the accused---"Estimator variables" negatively affecting the memory of a witness...... Following is the non-exhaustive list of "estimator variables" that negatively affected the memory process of a witness:
i. Stress: Even under the best viewing conditions, high levels of stress could diminish an eye-witness' ability to recall and make an accurate identification. While moderate levels of stress improved cognitive processing and might improve accuracy, an eyewitness under high stress was less likely to make a reliable identification of the perpetrator.
ii. Weapon focus: When a visible weapon was used during a crime, it could distract a witness and draw his or her attention away from the culprit. Weapon focus could thus impair a witness' ability to make a reliable identification and describe what the culprit looked like if the crime was of short duration.
iii. Duration: The amount of time an eyewitness had to observe an event may affect the reliability of an identification. There was no minimum time required to make an accurate identification, however, a brief or fleeting contact was less likely to produce an accurate identification than a more prolonged exposure.
iv. Distance and lighting: A person was easier to recognize when close by, and that clarity decreased with distance. Poor lighting made it harder to see well. Thus, greater distance between a witness and a perpetrator and poor lighting conditions could diminish the reliability of an identification.
v. Witness characteristics: Characteristics like a witness' age and level of intoxication could affect the reliability of an identification. Children between the ages of nine and thirteen who viewed target-absent lineups were more likely to make incorrect identifications than adults.
vi. Characteristics of perpetrator: Disguises and changes in facial features altered between the time of the event and the identification procedure affected the accuracy of an identification.
vii. Memory decay: Memories faded with time and memory decay was irreversible; memories never improved. As a result, delays between the commission of a crime and the time an identification was made could affect reliability.

2019 S C M R 956

A comprehensive judgment on extra judicial confession 2021 YLR 2210