Which of the following is an impeachment technique involving prior inconsistent statements?

• A. Bias
• B. Inconsistent Statements
• C. Capacity
• D. Character

Answer: (B)

Impeachment by prior inconsistent statements hinges on challenging a witness’s reliability by showing they previously said something different from what they are saying now. The idea is that if a witness has given statements before that conflict with their current testimony, their truthfulness is cast into doubt, making their current account less credible in the eyes of the jury.

This approach is rooted in the belief that consistency matters for trustworthiness. During cross-examination, you bring up earlier statements and point out the discrepancies. If the witness acknowledges the earlier statement, or if the prior statement was made under oath (such as in a deposition or prior proceeding), that inconsistency can be used to impeach. In many systems, such a prior inconsistent statement can also be used as substantive evidence if it was made under oath.

So, the technique described is prior inconsistent statements. The other options describe different impeachment or credibility factors: bias involves motives to misrepresent, capacity refers to the witness’s ability to perceive or recall, and character concerns the witness’s overall truthfulness tendencies rather than a specific prior statement.