Why Visual Literacy Matters
Visual literacy is a topic that I discuss in detail in my book and features in conference presentations and other teaching events in which I participate. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of visual literacy and its relevance to images that are relied on by investigators, counsel, and the...
Video Experts: A ‘Must Have’ or ‘Nice to Have’ at Trial?
An issue that is sometimes raised at trial by counsel or the court is whether the expert testimony of a forensic video analyst is necessary to effectively present video evidence. Counsel may find themselves in the position where if they propose to call an expert, opposing counsel will argue that such expert evidence...
Video Analysis Errors in Murder Trial
A Canadian trial judge convicted the defendant of two counts of murder based on circumstantial evidence and the judge’s own comparison of questioned images of the shooter and known images of the defendant. The Court of Appeal set aside the convictions and substituted them with acquittals due to the trial judge’s flawed analysis...
Image Technology and Visual Literacy Issues in the Rittenhouse Trial
The November 2021 trial in State of Wisconsin v. Rittenhouse garnered significant media attention across the United States, in part because of its rather sensational facts, and in part because it was televised. Some interesting video technology and visual literacy issues arose during the trial that have allowed for some reflection and commentary...