Recommendations for Expert Image Comparison Evidence in the United Kingdom in Light of the FSR Regulatory Notice “Image Enhancement and Image Comparison: Provision of Opinion”
Introduction I attended the meeting of the Forensic Digital Media Analysis Working Group, organized and presented by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences, in Birmingham, UK on October 21, 2019. One of the topics discussed was the state of general image comparison evidence in the UK in light of the FSR’s Regulatory Notice 01/2019...
FSR responds to “Evaluation of the Forensic Science Regulator’s recommendations regarding image comparison evidence”
In my August 26, 2019 article posted on this website, I included the evaluation I conducted of the UK Forensic Science Regulator’s directives to change image comparison evidence in the UK. The Regulator recently responded to my article and her response has been published in Forensic Science International: Synergy. Her response can be...
Anonymous Videos Used to Take Children Away from Mother in Child Welfare Trial: Colorado Court of Appeals Weighs in on Authentication
In People In Interest of M.V., 432 P.3d 628, 2018 WL 5988705, the Colorado Court of Appeals was asked to review the decision of a trial judge ordering that a mother’s children be adjudicated as dependent and neglected, thereafter imposing a treatment plan for the mother and removing the children from her custody. Central to...
“Evaluation of the Forensic Science Regulator’s recommendations regarding image comparison evidence”
I have recently published an article in the scientific journal Forensic Science International: Synergy. Here is the abstract: Expert image comparison evidence can be a vastly helpful tool in the search for the truth, a central tenet of the criminal justice system. This evidence assists the court in determining the relationship between a...
Audio Interview About Digital Video Evidence
The Excellence in Training Academy (excellenceintrainingacademy.com), a resource dedicated to law enforcement training, interviewed me recently on the subject of digital video evidence and some of the issues pertaining to this increasingly common type of evidence. In this hour-long interview, we cover a number of topics that are of value to those who work...
Authentication of Social Media and Other Videos in Northern Ireland Terrorism Cases
Courts in Northern Ireland have made important admissibility rulings regarding the authentication of videos presented as evidence in terrorism cases. One case addresses the admission of key video evidence when no authentication witnesses were called at all while the second case deals with the admissibility of unsupported video as well as questionable video posted...
Case Study: How a YouTube Rap Video was Used to Convict a Defendant
Video uploaded to social media sites must be authenticated in order to be admissible. The question of what level of proof is required to meet the authentication requirement was explored recently in United States v. Pettway, 2018 WL 4958962 (United States District Court, W.D. New York). The defendant was convicted by a jury of various...
Order in Court! The Value of Practical Moot Court Training
One of the most common sentiments expressed about the Courtroom Testimony for Expert Witnesses course is this: “The part I feared the most was the moot court and the part I got the most benefit from was the moot court!” A courtroom testimony course that does not have a practical component lacks a valuable...
Audio Interview: Keys to Effective Expert Witness Testimony
The Excellence in Training Academy (excellenceintrainingacademy.com), a resource dedicated to law enforcement training, interviewed me recently on the subject of expert witness testimony. In this hour-long interview, we cover a number of topics that are of value to expert witnesses and those aspiring to become an expert witness. In addition to the other content on...
Case Study: Authenticating Facebook Video – “We Live!”
The admissibility of Facebook video was at issue in Lamb v. State of Florida, 246 So.3d 400 (2018) (District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District). The defendant was being tried for two carjackings and the state sought to introduce Facebook Live video apparently recorded within minutes of the carjackings and purporting to show the...