🇺🇸Cross-Examination with Bayesian Networks

Presented at the 10th Annual BayesiaLab Conference on Thursday, October 27, 2022.

Abstract

Cross-examination is a method for testing the evidence presented at trial by asking probing questions. It is an integral part of the right to confront one’s accusers, as enshrined in the constitutions of many countries. But there is little scholarly work that analyzes cross-examination, its scope, and its function at trial. Until we know what cross-examination consists in, the substance of the fundamental right to confrontation remains elusive. This talk makes a first attempt at clearing the ground by articulating an analysis of cross-examination using Bayesian networks. This conceptual ground clearing will provide a framework to identify when cross-examination may go wrong and hinder the search for an accurate determination of the facts.

Presentation Video

Presentation Slides

About the Presenter

Marcello Di Bello is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Arizona State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Stanford University and an MSc in Logic from the University of Amsterdam. His research interests include evidence and probability, risk and decision-making, statistics in the law, and algorithmic fairness. He is currently working on a book with Rafal Urbaniak of Gdansk University on "legal probabilism," which you can learn more about here: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/legal-probabilism.