# crime suspects and face covering

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-suspects-and-face-covering/119080>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 15, 2002, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-suspects-and-face-covering/119080 "2002-07-15T16:43:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2002, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-suspects-and-face-covering/119080/1 "2002-07-15T16:43:50Z")

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Why do crime suspects cover their faces when there are TV cameras/photographers around? Can this behavior be brought up in a trial?

[best Perry Mason voice]  
“Mr. Kaputnick, why did you cover your face for the cameras if you aren’t guilty?”  
[/best Perry Mason voice]

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**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2002, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-suspects-and-face-covering/119080/2 "2002-07-15T17:05:55Z")

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Is that the conclusion you’d draw? I would infer that the arrestee didn’t want to be recognised because it’s embarrassing to be seen being hauled around by the cops.

My reply would be – “I covered my face **because** I’m not guilty, but if anyone who knew me recognised me on television, then they might be likely to _assume_ I’m guilty and my reputation would be shot.”

I don’t think a judge is going to agree that this evidence is relevant.

Now as to whether such evidence would be admissible otherwise … I can’t think of any rule of evidence off the top of my head that would disallow it (but then, I’m not a trial attorney, so maybe I’m missing something). In any case, who would you get to testify to this? A television reporter? Not likely.

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**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2002, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-suspects-and-face-covering/119080/3 "2002-07-15T17:24:26Z")

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Of course, if/when the arrestee’s name is announced, face covering becomes a moot point.

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2002, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-suspects-and-face-covering/119080/4 "2002-07-15T20:52:25Z")

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Often shame, Jefferey Dahamer was blind as a bat without his glasses, but never wore them to court so that he couldn’t see the victims’ families.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2002, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-suspects-and-face-covering/119080/5 "2002-07-15T21:56:57Z")

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You don’t think innocent people would have any reason to cover their faces? - I seem to recall cases where angry mobs have congregated outside police stations when a suspect has been brought in for questioning; some of those suspects turn out to be the wrong guy, but the mob wouldn’t care.

In the Portsmouth anti-paedophile riots a couple of years back, mobs trashed a man’s house and car (and probably would have injured or killed the man himself if they had the chance), why? - because they had found out that the man was a \*_Paediatrician_ and they were too stupid or pumped to know the difference.