In this effect, witnesses are likely to remember details about the weapon, but less likely to remember other details such as the description of the offender. This obviously affects the reliability of the eyewitness as he pays less attention to other important details of the crime scene. it is suggested that because the weapon distracts the witness's attention, details cannot be remembered. The witness may also experience emotional stress such as anxiety which can again affect the ability to remember certain details and therefore affect the eyewitness's ability to identify a