Final answer:
In 1984, Jennifer Thompson was assaulted and later identified Ronald Cotton as her assailant, influenced by unintentional police suggestion. Her initial uncertainty and subsequent conviction of Cotton underscore the potential for wrongful convictions based on eyewitness misidentification.
Step-by-step explanation:
The connection between all of V's victims so far stems from a tragic incident experienced by Jennifer Thompson in 1984. Jennifer, a 22-year-old college student in North Carolina, was raped at knifepoint. Determined to bring her assailant to justice, she focused on memorizing his features during the attack. However, the process of identifying the culprit was tainted by potential police suggestion and witness misidentification. During a photo lineup, Jennifer chose Ronald Cotton, a decision that was reaffirmed by police affirmation. The influence of the detective who reinforced her choice and the subtle pressures of the situation led to her identifying Cotton, who was later questioned and viewed in a lineup. Jennifer was not entirely certain initially, but eventually, Cotton was convicted, highlighting the issues with the reliability of eyewitness testimony and the fallibility of the justice system.