Forensic Hypnosis is a valuable tool to help gather missing clues which can lead investigators to important evidence. Even with the best interviewing skills, the conscious memory is limited. With a trained Forensic Hypnotist, an individual can be brought back to an event and recall important information, making the difference between a conviction or an acquittal in court. The subconscious mind is capable of recalling everything that a person has seen, heard, felt or experienced.
Forensic Hypnosis is an important resource when an investigator has run out of leads and the public wants answers. The important point here is that the Forensic Hypnotist must be trained and have appropriate experience to get it right.
The Supreme Court ruled that Hypnosis is admissible in all 50 states in the case, Rock vs. Arkansas when used by defendants during preparation in their own defense. In their decision, the High Court determined that, “...excluding all testimony aided or refreshed by hypnosis violated the defendant’s constitutional right to take the stand in her own defense.”
Notable Cases Where Forensic Hypnosis was Used:
- Boston Strangler – During a Forensic Hypnosis session, confessed murderer Albert DeSalvo provided details of how he murdered a woman. Those details assisted Police Detectives with the case.
- Ted Bundy – A witness who saw a young victim being abducted underwent Forensic Hypnosis and identified Ted Bundy as the abductor. Bundy later confessed to nearly thirty murders and was convicted.
- Sam Sheppard – Exonerated an innocent man of the murder of his wife.
- Chowchilla Kidnapping Case – In 1976, a school bus driver and 27 students were kidnapped. They were later taken to a quarry and buried within in the bus. The driver managed to escape and free the students. Under Forensic Hypnosis, the driver was able to recall the license plate of the kidnappers in reverse from seeing it earlier in the rear view mirror.
Forensic Hypnosis can be used to find the pertinent information needed to support nearly any investigation that has either a victim or a witness. Some people may not realize they are a witness because in the conscious mind, they don’t recall anything. Yet, if a person was in the area of an incident, their subconscious mind may have “captured” some pertinent piece of information.
Some Examples Where Forensic Hypnosis Might be Helpful:
- Rape
- Robbery
- Child Abuse
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Stalking
- Murder
- Assault
- Corporate Espionage
- Accident Reconstruction
- Just about anything that requires the need to recall memory from the subconscious mind.
If you’ve reached the limit of your investigation, it doesn’t mean you’re a bad investigator. In the same way that you may have used an investigative tool or resource, Forensic Hypnosis is another tool to help you find the information you need. If you’re working through a case and not getting anywhere, all the while the public and the press are pushing you, what else have you got? Give Forensic Hypnosis a try – it can help you.
The National Guild of Hypnotists’ Code of Ethics requires that Hypnotists be trained before utilizing Forensic Hypnosis. I am fully certified with advanced training. Additionally, I have served in leadership positions as a Federal Investigator. If you have a case that needs my assistance, contact me HERE. I’ll be glad to help.
For more details of my background, visit my Bio Page.