The Three C’s for Addressing Prior Inconsistent Statements

In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small breaks down a powerful cross-examination technique for challenging a witness' credibility that he calls "The Three C's": Commit, Credit and Confront. Using a real example from the Farmers Export grain elevator explosion trial, the episode illustrates how to skillfully expose a witness' prior inconsistent statements to undermine their testimony. By first having the witness commit to their current testimony, then credit their previous statement and finally confront them with the contradiction, Mr. Small was able to successfully dismantle a key defense witness' credibility. This episode offers valuable insights for trial lawyers aiming to master effective witness impeachment strategies.