NCJ Number
193298
Date Published
2000
Length
45 pages
Annotation
This appendix presents the questions and answers for the deposition testimony of Dr. Elizabeth Loftus in connection with the civil case of Lynn Crook vs. Bruce Murphy and Lucille Murphy in Superior Court of the State of Washington (1994), a case that involved the plaintiff's claim of childhood sexual abuse that had been repressed in the victim's memory until adulthood due to its traumatic nature.
Abstract
Dr. Elizabeth Loftus was a defense expert witness regarding the unreliability of repressed memories of childhood events and the importance of providing corroborative evidence of their accuracy, as well as the potential for "false memories" being constructed under the influence of hypnosis and therapist's suggestions while under treatment. In this appendix the plaintiff's attorney is questioning Dr. Loftus about her professional qualifications, her views on the scientific evidence regarding trauma-induced repressed memories, on the reliability of such memories, and particularly on the repressed memories of children who have been sexually abused. Her opinions on the reliability of the memories of the plaintiff elicited under hypnosis and therapy are also the subjects of the questioning. A series of questions focus on the kinds of corroborating evidence that would be required in order to put some trust in the accuracy of the plaintiff's memories of childhood sexual abuse. Another series of questions pertain to Dr. Loftus' monetary motivations related to the frequency with which she has made herself available to provide expert testimony that challenges plaintiffs' claims of childhood abuse that led to repressed memories.