Source: United States Attorneys General 13
On July 2, the ICITAP-Colombia mission provided an update on its assistance to the criminal justice system. With funding and support from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), ICITAP sponsored the participation of nineteen officials from the Colombian National Police (CNP) the Attorney General´s Office (AGO) and the National Institute of Legal Medicine (LM). During the training, participants prepared their expert report collaborating along with the prosecutor, to prepare for their testimony as experts during a mock hearing exercise of an oral trial. During the preparation stage, participants increased their communication skills utilizing logical reasoning and how to prepare demonstrative evidence by means of illustrations, drawings, and flowcharts to present the results of their expert opinions. During the mock oral hearing in front of a judge, participants experienced the interrogation phase, cross-examination, redirect and clarifications, from which they received feedback from judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys and their colleagues. All participants were recorded during their hearing and at the end, they were presented with their recorded video for constructive feedback from their peers, attorneys, and the judge.