The Interactive Effects of Race and Expert Testimony on Jurors' Perceptions of Recanted Confessions.

Logan Ewanation,Evelyn M Maeder

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.699077

Abstract

We examined the effect of defendant race and expert testimony on jurors’ perceptions of recanted confessions. Participants (591 jury-eligible community members) read a first-degree murder trial transcript in which defendant race (Black/White) and expert testimony (present/absent) were manipulated. They provided verdicts and answered questions regarding the confession and expert testimony. When examining the full sample, we observed no significant main effects or interactions of defendant race or expert testimony. When exclusively examining White participants, we observed a significant interaction between expert testimony and defendant race on verdicts. When the defendant was White, there was no significant effect of expert testimony, but when the defendant was Black, jurors were significantly more likely to acquit when given expert testimony. These findings support the watchdog hypothesis, such that White jurors are more receptive to legally relevant evidence when the defendant is Black.

Highlights

Empirical research indicates that suspects falsely confess to crimes for a variety of reasons (Kassin and Kiechel, 1996; King and Snook, 2009)
Given that jurors in the Black defendant condition convicted less often and perceived the confession as less voluntary, these jurors likely attended more to the expert testimony than did those in the White defendant condition
Our study examined the role of defendant race and the influence of expert testimony in the context of trials involving recanted confessions

Summary

Introduction

Empirical research indicates that suspects falsely confess to crimes for a variety of reasons (Kassin and Kiechel, 1996; King and Snook, 2009). Confessions remain one of the most influential forms of evidence in the courtroom (Kassin and Neumann, 1997; Lieberman et al, 2008). Expert witnesses are sometimes used to safeguard against issues with confession evidence, the effect of expert testimony on jurors’ perceptions of recanted confessions is unclear (Moffa and Platania, 2007; Blandon-Gitlin et al, 2011). Jurors’ perceptions of recanted confessions may depend upon the suspect’s race, as jurors perceive confessions as more voluntary when the defendant belongs to a racial minority (Pickel et al, 2013). Sargent and Bradfield (2004) found that White mock jurors were more sensitive to legally relevant

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