What does current science tell us about the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of intoxicated witnesses? A case example of the murder of a prime minister
Generally, the testimony of intoxicated witnesses has been considered relatively unreliable, but recent research has nuanced the knowledge base regarding these vulnerable witnesses.PurposeTo demonstrate the application of recent research findings regarding intoxicated witnesses to the statements mad...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.982992/full |
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| author | Malin Hildebrand Karlén Malin Hildebrand Karlén Malin Hildebrand Karlén Andrea de Bejczy Henrik Anckarsäter Gísli Guðjónsson Gísli Guðjónsson |
| author_facet | Malin Hildebrand Karlén Malin Hildebrand Karlén Malin Hildebrand Karlén Andrea de Bejczy Henrik Anckarsäter Gísli Guðjónsson Gísli Guðjónsson |
| author_sort | Malin Hildebrand Karlén |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Generally, the testimony of intoxicated witnesses has been considered relatively unreliable, but recent research has nuanced the knowledge base regarding these vulnerable witnesses.PurposeTo demonstrate the application of recent research findings regarding intoxicated witnesses to the statements made by a key witness to the murder of Olof Palme, Sweden's prime minister, in 1986. An additional purpose was to illustrate the use of a nuanced calculation of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for researchers.MethodsThe Palme murder has been debated since the crime was committed and no one has yet been sentenced. One of the witnesses was intoxicated and to estimate a range for his BAC at the time, a comprehensive BAC calculation was conducted in this study to illustrate important factors to consider in these types of cases.ResultsThrough the demonstration of the use of a nuanced BAC formula and by applying recent research results from studies on intoxicated witnesses, it was estimated that the possible BAC of the witness in the Palme-case at the time of the witnessed crime ranged between BAC = 0 to BAC = 0.13, depending on the type of alcoholic beverage consumed and whether the witness was a social or heavy drinker. This puts the witness either well within the span of maintained completeness as well as maintained accuracy rate (if considering: lowest dose and heavy drinker), or slightly exceeding this span into the BAC-range of reduced completeness but maintained accuracy rate (if considering: highest dose and social drinker). He was questioned immediately, and thereafter repeatedly, and he reported similar information throughout the interviews, which is in line with previous results on information maintenance over repeated interviews among intoxicated witnesses.ConclusionThe current case example shows how recent research on intoxicated witnesses can be applied in praxis, illustrating important factors for legal practitioners to consider when interpreting information from intoxicated witnesses. It also provides legal practitioners and researchers with an example of a structured approach to more nuanced BAC-calculations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T14:52:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f57b5c55d18d46a88befacfe6dda7a7a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T14:52:59Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-f57b5c55d18d46a88befacfe6dda7a7a2022-12-22T03:28:22ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782022-10-011310.3389/fpsyg.2022.982992982992What does current science tell us about the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of intoxicated witnesses? A case example of the murder of a prime ministerMalin Hildebrand Karlén0Malin Hildebrand Karlén1Malin Hildebrand Karlén2Andrea de Bejczy3Henrik Anckarsäter4Gísli Guðjónsson5Gísli Guðjónsson6Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Centre for Ethics, Law and Mental Health, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment for Forensic Psychiatry, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Gothenburg, Sweden, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Centre for Ethics, Law and Mental Health, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SwedenInstitute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United KingdomSchool of Business, Reykjavík University, Reykjavík, IcelandGenerally, the testimony of intoxicated witnesses has been considered relatively unreliable, but recent research has nuanced the knowledge base regarding these vulnerable witnesses.PurposeTo demonstrate the application of recent research findings regarding intoxicated witnesses to the statements made by a key witness to the murder of Olof Palme, Sweden's prime minister, in 1986. An additional purpose was to illustrate the use of a nuanced calculation of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for researchers.MethodsThe Palme murder has been debated since the crime was committed and no one has yet been sentenced. One of the witnesses was intoxicated and to estimate a range for his BAC at the time, a comprehensive BAC calculation was conducted in this study to illustrate important factors to consider in these types of cases.ResultsThrough the demonstration of the use of a nuanced BAC formula and by applying recent research results from studies on intoxicated witnesses, it was estimated that the possible BAC of the witness in the Palme-case at the time of the witnessed crime ranged between BAC = 0 to BAC = 0.13, depending on the type of alcoholic beverage consumed and whether the witness was a social or heavy drinker. This puts the witness either well within the span of maintained completeness as well as maintained accuracy rate (if considering: lowest dose and heavy drinker), or slightly exceeding this span into the BAC-range of reduced completeness but maintained accuracy rate (if considering: highest dose and social drinker). He was questioned immediately, and thereafter repeatedly, and he reported similar information throughout the interviews, which is in line with previous results on information maintenance over repeated interviews among intoxicated witnesses.ConclusionThe current case example shows how recent research on intoxicated witnesses can be applied in praxis, illustrating important factors for legal practitioners to consider when interpreting information from intoxicated witnesses. It also provides legal practitioners and researchers with an example of a structured approach to more nuanced BAC-calculations.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.982992/fullblood alcohol concentration (BAC)witness psychologyintoxicated witnessesalcohol intoxicationalcohol consumption levelsmodified Widmark equation |
| spellingShingle | Malin Hildebrand Karlén Malin Hildebrand Karlén Malin Hildebrand Karlén Andrea de Bejczy Henrik Anckarsäter Gísli Guðjónsson Gísli Guðjónsson What does current science tell us about the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of intoxicated witnesses? A case example of the murder of a prime minister Frontiers in Psychology blood alcohol concentration (BAC) witness psychology intoxicated witnesses alcohol intoxication alcohol consumption levels modified Widmark equation |
| title | What does current science tell us about the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of intoxicated witnesses? A case example of the murder of a prime minister |
| title_full | What does current science tell us about the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of intoxicated witnesses? A case example of the murder of a prime minister |
| title_fullStr | What does current science tell us about the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of intoxicated witnesses? A case example of the murder of a prime minister |
| title_full_unstemmed | What does current science tell us about the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of intoxicated witnesses? A case example of the murder of a prime minister |
| title_short | What does current science tell us about the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of intoxicated witnesses? A case example of the murder of a prime minister |
| title_sort | what does current science tell us about the accuracy reliability and completeness of intoxicated witnesses a case example of the murder of a prime minister |
| topic | blood alcohol concentration (BAC) witness psychology intoxicated witnesses alcohol intoxication alcohol consumption levels modified Widmark equation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.982992/full |
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