Expert Makes $2,800 For Trial Testimony

A University of Washington professor will collect $2,800 for giving 90 minutes of testimony in a Spokane courtroom.

His bill will be paid by taxpayers as part of the cost of defending accused double murderer Dwayne Woods, whose trial continues today in Spokane County Superior Court.

Geoffrey Loftus, an expert on human memory, is the only expert witness hired by public defenders representing Woods.

“One of the issues of this case is memory,” said defense attorney Richard Fasy. Faced with several choices, the defense decided that Loftus was the logical choice to assist in this case, Fasy said.

Loftus, like many other expert witnesses, bills his clients for a full day of work even if he travels on that day or spends a few hours - or only a few minutes - in court.

His standard fee is $175 an hour.

On Wednesday, Loftus said, he spoke by phone during the day with defense attorneys. That night, he flew to Spokane. The bill: $1,400 - or a full eight-hour day.

He billed the county for eight more hours for his efforts Thursday, when he testified during the trial’s morning session. He flew back to Seattle shortly after noon.

Taxpayers also will pick up his tab for air fare and one night’s lodging.

Spokane County Public Defender Donald Westerman says his office rule on hiring experts is to find the best available person closest to home.

He places no cost limit on experts, but he sometimes will reject a staff attorney’s request to hire an out-of-town expert.

Loftus’ fee is typical for a nationally known expert, Westerman said.

“His ex-wife, Elizabeth Loftus, is even better-known and she’d have cost us more,” Westerman said. She is known nationwide for her work on false memories of people who were sexually abused as children.

Being billed a full day for a short stint of work also is standard, Westerman added.

“You pay for portal to portal,” he said. “That’s just the way it is.”

, DataTimes