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January 21, 2026
A moment that changed me: my client was accused of a crime he didn’t commit
As a defence lawyer, I rely on witness statements. But one unusual case prompted me to reconsider the role of memory, and a traumatic experience that had affected me for years
TL;DR
- The author, a former defense lawyer in the Canadian Arctic, learned about the unreliability of eyewitness testimony through a case involving a broken rifle mistaken for a functional firearm.
- Eyewitness accounts, though genuinely believed, can be influenced by fear, trauma, and subtle external factors, leading to distorted memories.
- The author also confronted his own lifelong trauma from a near-drowning incident, realizing his memories were malleable and had negatively impacted his life.
- Therapy allowed him to reframe his traumatic experience, leading to the end of his night terrors and improved mental well-being.
- The experience taught him that personal histories can be rewritten, enabling individuals to change their reactions to triggers and overcome self-imposed limitations.
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