Dr. Paul Michel

Eyewitness Expert Testimony & Opinions

Dr. Paul Michel provides eyewitness expert testimony and opinions and legal testimony regarding human vision as it relates to eyewitness identification, motor vehicle collision, and threat identification in self defense. Dr. Paul Michel also provides scientific assessment of what an individual could or could not discern in various conditions pertaining to vision. These conditions might be affected by lighting levels, distance, movement, time constrains, refractive conditions, eye disease and other variables.

Education:

1977-1981: Southern California College of Optometry; Fullerton, California.
Degrees: Doctor of Optometry.
Bachelor of Science: Visual Science.

1976-1977: California State University; Long Beach, California
Graduate Studies; Perceptual Psychology.

1972-1976: California State University; Long Beach, California
Degree: Bachelor of Arts.
Honors: Cum Laude; Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
Major: Psychology

Specialty Experience:

Year 2010:

• California vs. Darn (affidavit for appeal homicide case).

• Georgia vs. Savannah 3 (affidavit for new trial, wrongful conviction).

• Arizona vs. Williamson (attempted homicide).

• Alabama vs. Danner (homicide trial).

• Colorado vs. Hernandez (attempted homicide trial).

Year 2009:

• Arizona vs. Aronica (vehicle homicide defense case).

• California vs. Drueucker (appeal of murder conviction based on impaired eyewitness identification).

• California vs. Donovan (conditions of visibility at homicide scene).

• Arizona vs. Van Brakel (vehicular homicide defense case).

Year 2008:

• Colorado vs. Rimpson (State Court, criminal defense, established that prosecution witness could not have seen what she alleged).

• Arizona vs. Aronica (State Court, criminal defense, vehicular homicide).

Year 2007:

• Lobator vs. City of Denver (Federal Court, Police Officer involved shooting, Defense in Civil rights case, Officer perceived soda can as weapon during search of crime scene).

• Texas vs. Spencer (State Court vacating of 20 year old wrongful conviction, eyewitnesses could not have seen what they reported).

Year 2005:

• Colorado vs. Robertson (State criminal defense eye witness identification issue).

• State of Colorado Dental Board vs. Dori Papir, DDS (State Dental regulatory agency discipline hearing).

Year 2003:

• New Jersey vs. Moore (Criminal defense, appeal of 1986 rape case, confirmed that victim's original statements were valid. The statements given subsequent to later hypnosis were not consistent with conditions of visibility).

• Parker vs. Swansea (Federal Court, defense of Police Officers in Civil rights case).

• Colorado vs. Thomas. (Criminal Defense, private citizen acquitted after shooting suspect, threat identification an issue).

Year 2002:

• Colorado vs. Miller (Criminal Defense, suspect identification issues).

Year 2001:

• Ohio vs. Roach (State Court, criminal defense, Police Officer acquitted in shooting of unarmed suspect after furtive gesture).

• Taylor vs. Penick (State Civil Case, vehicle collision, determination of the effect of plaintiff's speed on defendant's ability to see oncoming traffic).

Year 2000:

• Lecturer: Smith & Wesson Academy Series: Officer Survival 2000. This was a lecture tour for police on surviving violent encounters with criminals. It included techniques for investigating officer involved shootings and determining the lighting conditions during night time criminal investigations.

• Colorado vs. Avellani (State Court, criminal defense, eyewitness identification issues).

• California vs. Gay (State Court, death penalty re trial of penalty phase, evaluation of multiple eyewitnesses and which ones could have seen suspect at crime scene).

• Tafayo vs. Denver (Federal court, Police officer involved shooting, Defense in Civil Rights case).

• Washington vs. Delgado (State Court, criminal defense, homicide case).

• Colorado vs. Canister (State Court, criminal defense, death penalty case).

Year 1999:

• Michigan vs. Nixon (State Supreme Court review, written arguments pertaining to lighting levels and ability of witness to see suspect in dark).

• Colorado vs. Bittner (State Court, defense of home owner charged in shooting of intruder, threat identification an issue).

• Texas vs. Cook (Innocent man vindicated after 21 years on death row. Case detailed in book:”Chasing Justice" by Kerry Max Cook.

• Colorado vs. Bills (State Court, homicide, threat identification an issue).

• New York vs. Carroll (State Court, Police Officer charged in shooting of unarmed suspect, threat identification an issue).

Year 1998:

• Provided analysis for the defense in Idaho v. FBI Special Agent Lon Horiuchi. (This case involved the incident commonly known at Ruby Ridge and the shooting of Vicky Weaver).

Spring 1997-1998:

• Instructor: Physiological Psychology, Colorado Christian University, Lakewood, Colorado.

Year 1996:

• Flores vs. Los Angeles (Federal Court, Police Officer involved shootings, Defense in civil rights case).

Year 1995:

• Munoz vs. Los Angeles (State court, Police Officer involved shooting, Civil liability)

Years 1995-Present:

• Private practice, Therapeutic optometrist, Colorado.

Years 1982-1995:

• Staff Optometrist: Mullikin Medical Centers/ Pioneer Hospital, Artesia California.

Years 1993- 1999:

• Appointed Specialist Reserve Police Officer: Los Angeles Police Department, Robbery Homicide Division. As requested, assisted the officer involved shooting investigations unit. My specialty was documenting the levels of illumination and visibility at shooting scenes.

Years 1976- 1983:

• Line Reserve Police Officer, Huntington Beach California. Graduated Goldenwest Police Academy.  Extensive patrol experience. Also worked full time in Special Investigations Unit and the Jail bureau.

   

Foreign Language:

• Fluent Spanish

   

Honors:

May 1998:

• Published, Identification of lethal versus non lethal items in low lighting. “The Law Enforcement Bulletin of the FBI."

January 1997:

• Published, Vision Problems in Low Light. “Law and Order Magazine.

November, 1996:

• Published, Did the Witness Really See What They think They Saw? “The Champion" (National Association of Criminal defense Lawyers).

November 1995:

• Published, Consideration of Illuminations As a factor In Investigations of Officer Related Shootings: “Law and Order" Magazine.

December 1994:

• Inducted, Fellow: American Academy of Optometry.

July 1991:

• National Certification of Competency: National Board of Examiners in Optometry.

April 1982:

• Published: The Effects of Tropicamide on Ocular Blood Flow, “American Journal of Physiological Optics and Optometry".