Subject: Re: Digital Videos
From: eurocntr@his.com (Steven Schmidt)
Date: Fri, 29 Mar 1996 17:50:03 GMT
Message-ID: <4jh7tc$670@news2.his.com>

Richard Gray <ricky1@popalex1.linknet.net> wrote:

>Has anyone had any trouble with getting video recorded on a digital video
>recorder admitted into evidenc? I don't fully understand the concept of
>digital cameras, but I do believe that there may be some "defenses" a
>attorney might have as to not admit the video.

Ricky

Digital video needs to be back up by expert witnesses. The concept of digital video is (like everything else in communication) the move from age old analog to digital. Digital is better because it can be transferred easily and can be greatly enhanced with the right computer software like Photoshop 3.5. Of course, a danger lies in the fact that digital photographs can be manipulated in a way to show whatever you want them to show. There is a huge movement in the American Justice System for Forensic Anrmination and all kinds of digital stuff as evidence.

OTHER REFERENCES:
There is an article in the NAIS newsletter web site on Forensic Animation.

At the NAIS May 96 PI Convention, we have one of these experts coming to speak. (see NAIS web page on this for more info)


Ralph Thomas
NAIS
http://www.pimall.com/nais/home.html


>Ricky

As with any expert witness testimony to support evidence, the
integrity or credibility of the witness often determines if the
evidence has been tampered with. My experience has been that the
judge will accept the evidence if he accepts the witness who lays the
foundation, and throws it out if no proper foundation is established.
There could be a new forensic specialty out there to verify the
integrity of digital video evidence, but I think for it to catch on,
there would have to be a case of evidence fraud that wasn't detected
in traditional ways.

R. Steven Schmidt <eurocntr@his.com>
PGP Key fingerprint = C6 50 3D 3E B1 82 C0 D3 84 D5 76 C7 91 19 80 3B
Access Control and Video Badging Systems


>Ricky

Get a good graphics editing program loaded up, load in the "evidence" and
watch a good artist send your picture straight to hell. It is MUCH easier
to alter digitized pictures than it is regular pictures.


I think Steven pretty well sums it up. Evidence is designed to support
testimony without which it becomes very tenuous. It's a killer when
supported by expert testimony.

Dana


"Happiness is something for which everyone strives. Those who realize it
have earned it. It is tempered with sadness, embellished by our view of
others and clarified by the stark realization that we all must overcome
adversity. To forget any of these postulates dooms us to the status quo."

- Dana 951

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