Witness Identification of a Suspect Is Very Important to Investigations

Witness identification of a suspect is very important to investigations and is compelling evidence in a criminal trial. We have all seen the police lineups in movies, in which individuals are led into a room to stand facing a two-way mirror, allowing a victim or a witness to pick out the individual he or she saw at the scene of the crime. The people in the lineup are selected to closely match the physical characteristics of the suspect, and the procedure must not be unduly suggestive as to which individual is the suspect. However, sometimes the police take a suspect to a victim's hospital room or bring a suspect to a crime scene, and show the suspect to witnesses. This show-up usually occurs immediately or shortly after a crime has occurred. This procedure is certainly more suggestive than a lineup, since there is only one person being brought before the witness or victim. Why do you think the courts allow show-ups, but will review lineups to make sure they are not too suggestive? Is this really fair?