Reference no: EM132596695

In the case where Mr. Mayo had committed murder, Joe, the fireman, was a potential witness. Although Joe may be the best option for being close to the accused, his testimony may be influenced by several factors. If I were the prosecutor, I would consider any statement from the fireman as unreliable. Bearing in mind that the two had known each other for two years, I would say that Joe only had his friend's interests at heart. Instead of considering obtaining justice for the family of the victim, Joe would only make statements that would favor Mr. Mayo. The fact that he said that he had known his friend for two years and he was sure that he could not murder showed that he cared about Mr. Mayo, and he would say anything to defend him, including lying.

If I were Mr. Mayo's attorney, I would discredit Dawn's testimony based on these facts. Alcohol is known to tamper with our judgment and vision. Dawn was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. Secondly, when Dawn came back from the restroom, it is possible that she concluded, in her opinion. Being absent from the scene, it is possible that Dawn had no idea what transpired. Worse of all, Dawn had a formed opinion about Mr. Mayo. When he called her a redneck before the incident, she was offended, and she thought of him as a disrespectful person.

Dawn and Joe seem to have conflicting opinions on Mayo. Joe considers Mr. Mayo as harmless; he states that he cannot commit murder. Dawn, on the other hand, seems to think Mr. Mayo is rude and disrespectful. Also, according to Dawn, the victim only stated that he was going to wreck the place if he did not receive his pay.