I can't wait to hear what she says. I have had experience with some that shook me to my very core. And it was commonplace, I did not have a unique experience. It's just how it works.
The saying "how do you sleep at night" comes to mind. It is $$ and fame driven. We might think a Expert is paid the typical $450 per / hr. or at times maybe $4000 to $6000 by the time they are done. That is a small amount. But that's not always what they are paid. Some are paid 6 figures (depending on the potential payout someone is trying to avoid - the average Expert Witness in a pool of go to people makes around $50k to appear) or they do it for a few thousand and fame on a big scale such as a high profile case it puts them on the map to just be involved in such a case.
Understanding that some Experts discuss the case and then do not want to do it, they really do give their full honest assessment of what they think after they examine the defendant.. Or some feel they won't be able to give a report favorable to the Defense, then they are out, so the Defense moves to the next expert until they find one that fits the theme they are going with to get the client off.
There are honest experts many of them, in all fields (ask them how much work they get lol). But the Attorneys know the "go to" Experts, the ones that love to do it, become very well known on a National scale. It's almost a game.. You might even see an Expert testify for a case now across the country that you yourself used and you know why they have them too. And some high profile cases brag and get their Expert to say on the stand "What did you get paid to report on this, to examine the remains and come here today?" "nothing at all, I did not and would not take money that is how strongly I felt" OMG.. I have no words. YOU are on NATIONAL TV.. You got it back in gold...(and they get paid $50k to appear in 7 other cases that year, they can throw a free bee in!)
This is why in nearly all cases you see dueling Experts! I don't see they are doing that here, but typically I'd see a DV expert most likely examine and interview Jodi (but she may not have) and then give her report by testifying. Then the Prosecutor would have had her examined by their expert and that person would testify.
Defense might say she behaves in a classic abused women syndrome patter
Prosecution expert might say she does not believe this to be the case in fact, she would call it malingering and she behaves more like her borderline or sociopath patients, not a classic domestic abuse.
One usually just cancels out the other and the Jury might be more engaged with how one comes off on the stand.
Can it ever be about the TRUTH? One would hope? But I am afraid my poor self has been traumatized by these things we always thought were so upstanding. Only to find out how different life is when you get an up close look?
That is kind of why in the Expert part of a Trial, if Jurors knew the ins and outs of experts they may give very little weight to them and most of the weight to the evidence presented.. The Expert was not there when this occurred, the Expert cannot know for certain if a person is lying or telling the truth.. so they are rendering an opinion?
Every now and then when someone who could be classified as an Expert is on the stand, I get a great feeling of sincerity. They just seem truthful. The M.E. that testified in this case, he left me with the impression that he told it like it is. He did not down play or exaggerate.
I'll be on the edge of my seat.. And we just need to keep our fingers crossed we're never in a situation where we are innocent and a slew of experts would be hired and you sit very vulnerable to whatever they want to say. And humans will sleep very well with their check, and not give a moments concern they buried someone.
lease:
