--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well before she became famous — or…" description: "\"“Well before she became famous — or infamous, depending on where you cast your vote — Loftus's findings on memory distortion were clearly commodifiable..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/lauren-slater-11238_abuse-deniers_well-before-she-became-famous-or-infamou_2977650.jpg" --- # Well before she became famous — or infamous, depending on… ![“Well before she became famous — or infamous, depending on where you cast your vote — Loftus's findings on memory distortion were clearly commodifiable. In the 1970s and 1980s she provided assistance to defense attorneys eager to prove to juries that eyewitness accounts are not the same as…” quote by Lauren Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/lauren-slater-11238_abuse-deniers_well-before-she-became-famous-or-infamou_2977650.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/lauren-slater-11238_abuse-deniers_well-before-she-became-famous-or-infamou_2977650.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/lauren-slater-11238_abuse-deniers_well-before-she-became-famous-or-infamou_2977650.jpg) > ““Well before she became famous — or infamous, depending on where you cast your vote — Loftus's findings on memory distortion were clearly commodifiable. In the 1970s and 1980s she provided assistance to defense attorneys eager to prove to juries that eyewitness accounts are not the same as camcorders. "I've helped a lot of people," she says. Some of those people: the Hillside Strangler, the Menendez brothers, Oliver North, Ted Bundy. "Ted Bundy?" I ask, when she tells this to me. Loftus laughs. "This was before we knew he was Bundy. He hadn't been accused of murder yet." "How can you be so confident the people you're representing are really innocent?" I ask. She doesn't directly answer. She says, "In court, I go by the evidence… Outside of court, I'm human and entitled to my human feelings. "What, I wonder are her human feelings about the letter from a child-abuse survivor who wrote, "Let me tell you what false memory syndrome does to people like me, as if you care. It makes us into liars. False memory syndrome is so much more chic than child abuse… But there are children who tonight while you sleep are being raped, and beaten. These children may never tell because 'no one will believe them.'" "Plenty of "Plenty of people will believe them," says Loftus. Pshaw! She has a raucous laugh and a voice with a bit of wheedle in it. She is strange, I think, a little loose inside. She veers between the professional and the personal with an alarming alacrity," she could easily have been talking about herself.”” [Lauren Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-slater/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Loftus shows how memory research can be used both to protect and to manipulate legal outcomes, highlighting the tension between scientific evidence and human emotion in the courtroom. **In simple terms:** Science can help and also be misused in trials. Key Takeaway Balance evidence with empathy. Themes ethics law memory psychology justice Mood conflicted critical thoughtful Type analytical ethical When to use this quote - courtroom defense - jury deliberation - policy making - public discourse Key Concepts memory distortion eyewitness reliability legal advocacy Questions to Reflect On - How should experts navigate personal bias in legal testimony? - What safeguards protect against misuse of memory research? A Different Perspective Scientific findings can be weaponized when detached from moral responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse-deniers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse-deniers/) [Child abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-abuse/) [Convicted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convicted/) [Court-case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court-case-38658/) [Defense-expert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense-expert-44259/) [Elizabeth-f-loftus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elizabeth-f-loftus-54274/) [Elizabeth-loftus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elizabeth-loftus-54290/) [Expert-witness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expert-witness-59298/) [False Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-memory-315008/) [False-accusations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-accusations-2/) [False-impressions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-impressions-61035/) [False-memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-memory/) [False-memory-syndrome-foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-memory-syndrome-foundation/) [Falsely accused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falsely-accused/) [Findings Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/findings-memory-4615703/) [Fmsf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fmsf/) [Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judge/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Legal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legal/) [Loftus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loftus-110394/) [Loftus Findings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loftus-findings-4615704/) [Makes Liars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes-liars-1411831/) [Misrepresentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misrepresentation/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [Rape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rape/) [Richard-ofshe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/richard-ofshe-159023/) [Serial killers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serial-killers/) [Sexual abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexual-abuse/) [Sexual assault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexual-assault/) [Societal-denial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/societal-denial-173398/) [Survivors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survivors/) [Ted bundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ted-bundy/) [Tells Loftus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tells-loftus-4615702/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Victims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victims/) ## Related quotes > [“Two other highly vocal FMSF Advisory Board members are Dr Elizabeth Loftus and Professor Richard Ofshe. 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He hadn't been accused of murder yet.\" \"How can you be so confident the people you're representing are really innocent?\" I ask. She doesn't directly answer. She says, \"In court, I go by the evidence… Outside of court, I'm human and entitled to my human feelings. \"What, I wonder are her human feelings about the letter from a child-abuse survivor who wrote, \"Let me tell you what false memory syndrome does to people like me, as if you care. It makes us into liars. False memory syndrome is so much more chic than child abuse… But there are children who tonight while you sleep are being raped, and beaten. These children may never tell because 'no one will believe them.'\" \"Plenty of \"Plenty of people will believe them,\" says Loftus. Pshaw! She has a raucous laugh and a voice with a bit of wheedle in it. She is strange, I think, a little loose inside. 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