Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2021)

100.   Exclusion of identification evidence

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    (1)   Identification evidence adduced by the prosecutor is not admissible evidence unless—

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      (a)     either—

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        (i)     an identification parade that included the defendant was held before the identification was made, or

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        (ii)     it would not have been reasonable to have held an identification parade and subsection (5) applies; and

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      (b)     the identification was made without the person who made it having been intentionally influenced to make it.

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    (2)   Without limiting subsection (1), the matters to be taken into account in determining whether it was reasonable to hold an identification parade as mentioned in that subsection include—

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      (a)     the kind of offence and the gravity of the offence concerned;

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      (b)     the importance of the evidence;

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      (c)     the practicality of holding such an identification parade having regard, among other things—

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        (i)     to whether the defendant refused to co-operate in the conduct of the parade, and to the manner and extent of, and the reason, if any, for, the refusal, and

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        (ii)     in any case, to whether the identification was made at or about the time of the commission of the relevant offence; and

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      (d)     the appropriateness of holding such an identification parade having regard, among other things, to the relationship, if any, between the defendant and the other person who made the identification.

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    (3)   Where—

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      (a)     the defendant refused to co-operate in the conduct of an identification parade unless an attorney-at-law acting for him or her was present while it was being held; and

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      (b)     there were, at the time when the identification parade was to have been conducted, reasonable grounds to believe that it was not reasonably practicable for such attorney-at-law to be present,

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    it shall be presumed that it would not have been reasonable to have held an identification parade at that time.

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    (4)   In determining whether it was reasonable to have held an identification parade, the court shall not take into account the availability of pictures that could be used in making identifications.

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    (5)   Where it would not have been reasonable for an identification parade to be held and a group identification, video film identification or in the case where neither was practicable, a confrontation was held, the identification evidence is admissible.