Our Crime Panel looks at the impact of the #MeToo movement on Calgary sexual abuse reports, questioning the reliability of police testimony and jurors being told to use common sense.

Calgary Police say #MeToo campaign could be inspiring more people to report crimes

New numbers from the Calgary Police Service suggest more people are coming forward with allegations of sexual abuse.

The Calgary Police Service Sex Crimes Unit says some of those coming forward could have been inspired by the recent #MeToo movement.

The number of cases investigated by police has increased by 32% in the last year, the number of charges laid by the unit also nearly doubled during that time.

Forensic psychologist raises questions over reliability of police memory at trial

A forensic psychologist is raising questions over the reliability of police memory as it relates to testimony at trial. In a disciplinary hearing involving an Edmonton police officer facing charges under the Police Act, forensic psychologist Patrick Ballie suggested despite what police believe to be a “firmly held memory” it could be wrong.

Const. Sean Briegel was conditionally discharged in 2016 after he was convicted for assault causing bodily harm. Briegel was called to a Mac’s convenience store to remove an intoxicated man.

The officer claims to have repeatedly called out: ”Police, stop resisting” during the struggle with the man, however, the video tape evidence shows only seconds between the apprehension of the man before Briegel began punching him. In his testimony Ballie suggested stress can sometimes impact memories, even distort them.

Tom Engel is recommending his fellow defence lawyers call on forensic psychologists in cases where the crown relies on police witness memories during “stressful” situations.

Judge instructs jurors to use “common sense” when analyzing potential unreliable testimony

The judge in a high profile Saskatchewan murder case gave the jury some mid-trial instructions regarding reliability of testimony.

Gerald Stanley faces second-degree murder charges in the death of 22-year-old Colten Boushie in August 2016. This week ended with testimony from Crown witnesses.

On the stand witnesses admitted to making “last-minute changes” to their stories, and even admitted to lying to investigators following Boushie’s death. Justice Martel Popescul gave these instructions to the jurors “"Common sense tells you that if a witness says one thing in the witness box, but has said something quite different on an earlier occasion, this may reduce the value of his or her evidence,"

Those comments come as amendments are being recommended to Alberta’s Evidence Act regarding the handling of testimony.

Recommendations on how to handle testimony from children or witnesses whose competence or memory may be unreliable are expected next week from the Alberta Law Reform Institute. The report ”Competence and Communication in the Alberta Evidence Act: Final Report 111,” is expected on February 7 and will bring Alberta’s legislation closer into line with the Canada Evidence Act.

Our Crime Panel includes: Morgan McClelland, defence lawyer; Keith Spencer, retired criminologist and Kevin Martin, Postmedia court reporter