© 2025 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

When Eyewitness Memory Is — And Isn't — Reliable

Kevin Strickland's name is not among the 36 people listed for pardon from Gov. Mike Parson on May 31.
Photo Illustration-Carlos Moreno
/
KCUR 89.3
Kevin Strickland's name is not among the 36 people listed for pardon from Gov. Mike Parson on May 31.

Law enforcement at every level should be applying a simple test to a witness' memory of a crime.

Eyewitness accounts of a crime can, like any piece of evidence, be contaminated. Why the only "uncontaminated" version of a memory is the very first time a witness tells what they saw and why assessing the confidence of that first telling is key. We examine how this applies to the only eyewitness account of the triple murder that saw Kevin Strickland erroneously convicted and sentenced to 50 years in prison.

  • John Wixted, Ph.D., distinguished professor of psychology at the University of California, San Diego
Stay Connected
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
As senior producer of Up To Date, I want our listeners to hear familiar and new voices that shine light on the issues and challenges facing the myriad communities KCUR serves, and to expose our audiences to the wonderful and the creative in the Kansas City area. Just as important to me is an obligation to mentor the next generation of producers to ensure that the important conversations continue. Reach me at alexanderdk@kcur.org.
As Up To Date’s senior producer, I want to pique the curiosity of Kansas Citians and help them understand the world around them. Each day, I construct conversations with our city’s most innovative visionaries and creatives, while striving to hold elected officials accountable and amplifying the voices of everyday Kansas Citians. Email me at zach@kcur.org.
KCUR prides ourselves on bringing local journalism to the public without a paywall — ever.

Our reporting will always be free for you to read. But it's not free to produce.

As a nonprofit, we rely on your donations to keep operating and trying new things. If you value our work, consider becoming a member.