Q. I CAN'T IDENTIFY THE DEFENDANT. WHY WAS I SUBPOENAED?

A. In order to prove a case, the Commonwealth must prove a number of specific "elements." These elements differ for different crimes. One of the elements in cases such as property crimes involves determining the value of the item damaged or stolen, who owned it, and if anyone had permission to borrow or damage it. Therefore, even though you cannot identify the person who took or destroyed your property, you can testify about the last time you saw it, when you noticed it missing, how much it was worth, and if you had given it to anyone or authorized someone to take or use it.