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Coherent Stories are Better than True Stories

At a story telling seminar, one lesson stuck to my ribs.  It's something I've thought about for the past half-decade.  This might be mundane to you.  To me, it was life-altering:  It's better that a story be coherent than true. We could talk about that idea for hours, from various angles.  As a matter of legal ethics, you can't lie.  But is omitting a fact a lie?  What is the truth?  If you have five true facts, but only use three facts: Haven't you told the truth?  As a witness, you're supposed to tell the "whole truth."  As a lawyer, are you required to solicit the whole truth?  Aren't these principles at odds?  How may the witness tell the whole truth when he witness is only permitted to answer the questions a lawyer presents?  Imagine a witness said, during his oath, "Your honor...continue to full post

Full post as published by Crime & Federalism on April 20, 2009 (boomark / email).