Blindspot: An Introduction to Forensic Science and Expert Witness Testimony

Primeau Forensics' 2020 Year in Review In this special episode of Blindspot, we sit down with Ed Primeau and Michael Primeau. The father and son team have been working side-by-side since 2009 and are the owners and forensic experts behind Primeau Forensics. With 2020 in the rearview mirror, Ed and Michael give us a look inside the trials and triumphs that the COVID-19 pandemic brought to their small business and look ahead to what 2021 has in store. A Look Back at 2020 The COVID-19 global pandemic ravaged our country's small businesses in 2020. Hundreds of thousands were forced to reimagine how they do business, or, sadly, shut their doors. And although surviving organizations are starting to recover from their COVID-19 hit, a new era of change has commenced. From accelerated digitization to permanent shifts in management styles, Ed and Michael discuss their takeaways from the year. The Impact of COVID-19 on the Legal Industry Next, the justice system faced a myriad of challenges following the onslaught of COVID-19. An industry that is known for being slow to embrace technology, social distancing guidelines and stay-at-home orders forced rapid evolution from court systems and the legal profession. This evolution includes tele-working, live-streaming, and shifting operations to the cloud. Ed and Michael discuss the impact COVID-19 has had on the legal industry, as well as their roles as forensic experts and expert witnesses. Looking Ahead to 2021 All eyes are looking ahead to the future. What will 2021 bring? From new service offerings to exciting media features, we take a moment to touch on what listeners can expect to see from Primeau Forensics in the coming year. Subscribe to Blindspot Podcast Listen now to this special episode of Blindspot. Subscribe to the Blindspot podcast to automatically receive the latest episodes downloaded to your computer or portable device. Select the subscription method in the column to the right that best fits your lifestyle. Primeau Forensics' team is dedicated to supporting our clients and providing forensic litigation and consulting services that will assist their investigations. Contact us today or call us at (800) 647-4281 to learn more about our forensic services.

Primeau Forensics' 2020 Year in Review In this special episode of Blindspot, we sit down with Ed Primeau and Michael Primeau. The father and son team have been working side-by-side since 2009 and are the owners and forensic experts behind Primeau Forensics. With 2020 in the rearview mirror, Ed and Michael give us a look inside the trials and triumphs that the COVID-19 pandemic brought to their small business and look ahead to what 2021 has in store.  A Look Back at 2020 The COVID-19 global pandemic ravaged our country's small businesses in 2020. Hundreds of thousands were forced to reimagine how they do business, or, sadly, shut their doors. And although surviving organizations are starting to recover from their COVID-19 hit, a new era of change has commenced. From accelerated digitization to permanent shifts in management styles, Ed and Michael discuss their takeaways from the year.  The Impact of COVID-19 on the Legal Industry Next, the justice system faced a myriad of challenges following the onslaught of COVID-19. An industry that is known for being slow to embrace technology, social distancing guidelines and stay-at-home orders forced rapid evolution from court systems and the legal profession. This evolution includes tele-working, live-streaming, and shifting operations to the cloud. Ed and Michael discuss the impact COVID-19 has had on the legal industry, as well as their roles as forensic experts and expert witnesses.  Looking Ahead to 2021 All eyes are looking ahead to the future. What will 2021 bring? From new service offerings to exciting media features, we take a moment to touch on what listeners can expect to see from Primeau Forensics in the coming year. Subscribe to Blindspot Podcast Listen now to this special episode of Blindspot. Subscribe to the Blindspot podcast and you will automatically receive the latest episodes downloaded to your computer or portable device. Select the subscription method in the column to the right that best fits your lifestyle. Primeau Forensics' team is dedicated to supporting our clients and providing forensic litigation and consulting services that will assist their investigations. Contact us today or call us at (800) 647-4281 to learn more about our forensic services. 

3 Reasons Why Video Evidence is Being Analyzed Inaccurately

How is video evidence used as a weapon? Video evidence is a digital representation of encoded light signals captured by a video camera. Captured and stored data is video evidence later presented in the courtroom. On the other hand, humans process video evidence quite differently. We gather light data without encoding it. We choose our […]

A Closer Look at the Relationship between Hollywood and Forensic Science I sit down with Barry Levy in this podcast episode of Blindspot. Barry is a screenwriter and producer known for his work in popular films, such as Vantage Point, Paranoia, and Wolves of Wall Street. You can explore his filmography further by following this link. During this interview, Barry and I will dive into the relationship between Hollywood and forensic science. Modern movies and television shows frequently portray a fictional concept of science for the sake of entertainment. As a result, the general public is misled as to the capabilities of forensic experts. With this in mind, Barry addresses how he learned to work and write in the world of Hollywood. And, how viewers of these movies and television shows should approach forensic science and the experts working in the field. Listen to the podcast now and subscribe to receive the latest episodes downloaded to your computer or portable device. A Note to Our Audience As millions of businesses are disrupted and people settle into their homes amid the COVID-19 global pandemic, it is our pledge to continue supporting our clients and provide them with litigation support services that will assist their investigations. The Primeau Forensics team will continue to offer forensic expertise, our experiences from the field, and an extensive list of services from the safety of our homes. 

A Closer Look at the Relationship between Hollywood and Forensic Science I sit down with Barry Levy in this podcast episode of Blindspot. Barry is a screenwriter and producer known for his work in popular films, such as Vantage Point, Paranoia, and Wolves of Wall Street. You can explore his filmography further by following this link.  During this interview, Barry and I will dive into the relationship between Hollywood and forensic science. Modern movies and television shows frequently portray a fictional concept of science for the sake of entertainment. As a result, the general public is misled as to the capabilities of forensic experts. With this in mind, Barry addresses how he learned to work and write in the world of Hollywood. And, how viewers of these movies and television shows should approach forensic science and the experts working in the field. Listen to the podcast now and subscribe to receive the latest episodes downloaded to your computer or portable device.   A Note to Our Audience As millions of businesses are disrupted and people settle into their homes amid the COVID-19 global pandemic, it is our pledge to continue supporting our clients and provide them with litigation support services that will assist their investigations. The Primeau Forensics team will continue to offer forensic expertise, our experiences from the field, and an extensive list of services from the safety of our homes.  

Digital Image Authentication of Screenshot Evidence in Criminal Defense

Settling Into Remote Work During COVID-19 On Friday, March 23, Primeau Forensics began prepping its team for remote work amid the growing COVID-19 pandemic. Three weeks later, I am sitting in my dining room with a beautiful view of the backyard. Exactly how the company started years ago!  I have become fluent in several technological tools to boost efficiency during my time away from the office. These tools include Microsoft Office, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Clio Grow, and Clio Manage. All of these have given my team the opportunity to stay connected to each other, as well as to our clients.    Following dozens of phone calls with clients and fellow colleagues, I learned that courts are still carrying on business. Many cases have been granted a continuance or postponement. On the other hand, bail and bond hearings are still in process. In fact, I will be testifying via Zoom on two occasions during the month of April.    Attorney Nenye Uche and Chicago Trial Cases It was during one of these phone calls that I reconnected with an old friend and trial attorney from Chicago, Nenye Uche. Nenye and I have worked on several cases together over the years. I consider him to be one of the most brilliant attorneys I have ever met. He has handled numerous high-profile cases featured in major media outlets such as CNN and The Guardian. And, he was recently named into the 2019 Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Star List. You can explore Nenye’s biography and a long list of professional achievements on his website.  Nenye has an incredible story to tell and I am ecstatic to share it with you on my podcast series, Blindspot. Listen to the podcast now and subscribe to receive the latest episodes downloaded to your computer or portable device.   A Note to Our Readers As millions of businesses are disrupted and people  settle into their homes amid the COVID-19 global pandemic, it is our pledge to continue supporting our clients and provide them with litigation support services that will assist their investigations. The Primeau Forensics team will continue to offer forensic expertise, our experiences from the field, and an extensive list of services from the safety of our homes.  

Forensic audio enhancement is a scientific process. Remove the unwanted sound and increase the wanted sound. In many cases, based on our 34 years of experience, the wanted sound is most always dialogue. The Use of Equalizers for Forensic Audio Enhancement An equalizer is one of the most important filters or tools for audio enhancement. […]

Forensic audio enhancement is a scientific process. Remove the unwanted sound and increase the wanted sound. In many cases, based on our 34 years of experience, the wanted sound is most always dialogue. The Use of Equalizers for Forensic Audio Enhancement An equalizer is one of the most important filters or tools for audio enhancement. […]

Above all, the goal of forensic enhancement is to better hear dialogue by removing unwanted noise. This scientific process of improving the quality of dialogue is also known as speech enhancement or dialogue enhancement. Forensic audio enhancement services are the scientific process of clarifying audio recordings using non-destructive techniques to preserve speech quality. This is crucial for the trier of fact can make determinations about the events within the recorded evidence. The Use of Equalizers for Dialogue Enhancement An equalizer is one of the most important filters or tools for audio enhancement. This is true for an audio engineer as well as an Audio Forensic Expert. There are many different types of equalizers with different capabilities. The core functions are always the same. Users may increase or decrease sound levels and frequencies. Frequencies that should be considered when performing forensic enhancement are 20 Hz to 20 kHz. All frequencies that fall into that range  are called ‘frequency bands.’ Each frequency band is typically marked by its center frequency, while the width of the band will vary between different equalizers. Some equalizers even allow the frequency band and the width to be adjusted. These tools are crucial when performing a forensic audio enhancement. Noise and other unwanted extraneous frequency content is usually the biggest issue with audio recordings. Equalizers and filters offer the ability to remove narrow ranges of unwanted frequencies so that these unwanted noises can, for the most part, be removed from the recording. This focused process leaves all wanted frequencies like dialogue untouched. Adobe Audition One of the software programs we use at Primeau Forensics is Adobe Audition. It comes with the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite. Our favorite filter in Audition is the Multi-band Compressor. A compressor is another type of filter that helps enhance an audio recording to expose wanted sounds and remove the unwanted sounds. Another company, iZotope, has added some of its filters to Adobe Audition. Their noise reduction filter is also an excellent tool for removing unwanted sound. Critical Listening Skills Critical listening skills develop over time and are also referred to as ear training. Each of us has a different perception of sound. In other words, our hearing is unique to each individual. What we hear from a set of speakers or headphones is unique to us as individuals. In order to develop your critical listening muscle, you must experiment and observe. Remember, science is observation. When using an equalizer, it's important to be careful to boost or increase frequencies and amplitude (volume) gradually. It is also important to reduce or cut different frequency ranges selectively. This is because some of the time, removing a certain noise that appears to be at a certain frequency may seem to help. However, there could also be a lot of important wanted or voice content in that same frequency range. Making the proper adjustments with an equalizer requires both experiences with the equipment, critical listening skills, and a lot of trial and error. When we process an audio recording for speech enhancement, we note the types of filtering and associated outcomes in our work notes. Work notes include the various filters applied to a recording, the differences in sound quality and intelligibility. The settings are then noted. Experience, the more time spent and the more audio enhancements that are successfully completed. We are extremely familiar with frequency ranges and improving the quality of audio recordings. Now listen in with Audio and Video Forensic Expert Ed Primeau as he discusses the use of equalize...

As an Audio Forensic Expert, knowing what tools are available for audio enhancement and how they work is extremely important. While compressors are often thought of as tools for music production, they serve many functions in the Audio Forensic world. Like with most audio signal processors, it takes training and experience to operate compressors properly and effectively when enhancing audio. When an audio enhancement is required, the recorded signal is often very low, or the desired source is unbalanced, with other signals in the recording. Compressors can increase the gain of a recording while also balancing the levels of the sound sources. While different compressors will vary, most have the same basic controls. These include the threshold, attack, release, ratio and makeup gain. It is easy to focus on raising the level of the desired signal with a compressor and produce a loud, but unintelligible work product. Sometimes a smaller amount of compression may have a more positive effect on the audio. An experienced Audio Forensic Expert will know how to effectively clarify the recording based on his or her knowledge of audio and signal processing. Now listen in with Audio and Video Forensic Expert Ed Primeau as he discusses the use of compressors in forensic audio enhancements.

As an Audio Forensic Expert, knowing what tools are available for audio enhancement and how they work is extremely important. While compressors are often thought of as tools for music production, they serve many functions in the Audio Forensic world. Like with most audio signal processors, it takes training and experience to operate compressors properly […]

As an Audio Forensic Expert, knowing what tools are available for audio enhancement and how they work is extremely important. While compressors are often thought of as tools for music production, they serve many functions in the Audio Forensic world. Like with most audio signal processors, it takes training and experience to operate compressors properly […]

Sgt. Bill Tilson is a police officer with the Coeur d'Alene Police Department in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He has been working in the department since September 2002 and began working with body-worn cameras in 2012 when the department began issuing them to officers. He received a Bachelors's degree in Criminal Justice and Corrections from Lewis-Clark State College and an Associate's degree in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration from the College of Southern Idaho. Sgt. Tilson has seen first hand the benefits of body-worn cameras in law enforcement and has been a major part of their integration into the Coeur d'Alene Police Department. He has also dealt with many of the struggles that police departments are facing a large amount of video that is being captured by these body cameras. We suspect that if you are reading this post, you have a boy worn camera video and questions. Why are there glitches in the video recording? Does the time code numbers jump for no reason? Is the audio poor and need forensic enhancement? Does your body-worn camera recording have an established chain of custody? Check out this article for more information on Establishing a Chain of Custody for Audio and Video Evidence.  Now listen in with Ed Primeau and Sgt. Bill Tilson as they discuss the benefits of body-worn cameras, the issues with storing the video, chain of custody procedures, and Federal standards for maintaining the video evidence. photo credit: USCP4.NSM.Rally.USCG.WDC.19apr08 via photopin (license)