Daniel Was Serving on a Jury in a Murder Trial

question 28

Multiple Choice

 Daniel was serving on a jury in a murder trial. Testimony from expert witnesses suggested that the defendant was a true psychopath, incapable of empathy with others or of remorse for what he had done. The defendant's attorneys tried to get the judge to accept a lie detector test they had conducted privately, claiming that it proved that their client was innocent. The judge refused. How should Daniel interpret this information?

• A) The judge was correct. If the defendant is a psychopath, he might not show the arousal that most honest people show during a lie detector test, and his results are unlikely to be valid.
• B) The judge was in error. The lie detector test proved that the defendant was innocent, and this information should have been admitted to the trial proceedings.
• C) The judge was correct. Lie detector tests are much worse than chance in detecting dishonesty.
• D) The judge was in error. Lie detector tests are routinely used in courts of law, and the defendant had a right to have this information submitted during his trial.

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Definitions:

Bereaved Persons

Individuals who are experiencing grief and mourning the loss of a loved one.

Pangs of Grief

Intense emotional suffering or distress experienced as a result of loss, especially of a loved one.

Bereavement

The state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one, characterized by a range of emotional responses.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

A mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event, characterized by flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety.