Opinion ID: 1742459
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: enhanced photographs

Text: Nooner contends that it was error for the circuit court to allow into evidence photographs that had been manipulated. He further maintains that because the photographs were altered, the silent witness theory should not apply. The State counters that the photographs were not altered but were merely enhanced by giving more brightness and improving the contrast for better definition, as one does when adjusting a television picture. We first emphasize that there is nothing before us that indicates that the still photographs of the suspect ultimately introduced into evidence were changed to include a face, features, or physique of someone not present in the original videotape. Indeed, the jury and the circuit court watched a slowed version of the original videotape and then saw the enhanced still photographs. Thus, the viewers of the tape had the opportunity to identify any distortion in the photographs of the depicted suspect. In a pre-trial hearing regarding whether the photographs should be suppressed, state witnesses, including representatives of private firms, meticulously described their role in the enhancement process. Rupert Robertson, a video specialist for Arkansas Power & Light Company, testified that he slowed the original videotape down by making an exact duplicate of it in the Betacam format and then freezing each frame for several seconds. Tom Burney of Jones Productions testified that he took a still frame from the duplicate videotape, transferred it to his computer, and softened the pixels on the suspect's face to remove the graininess. He did not add or subtract features from the original, except to mosaic out the victim. Carl Tillery of Color Masters testified that he took the computer disk prepared by Tom Burney and made still photographs. He multiplied the pixels per square inch to improve the contrast and adjusted the brightness in one of the still photographs. He also testified that he in no way altered the features in the photographs. Jeff Bishop from Camera Mart testified that he made still photographs from the original videotape. He only adjusted the brightness in the photographs. Reliability must be the watchword in determining the admissibility of enhanced videotape and photographs, whether by computer or otherwise. We turn to the treatise cited by the Arkansas Court of Appeals in Fisher v. State, supra : Relevant computer-enhanced still prints made from videotape recordings are admissible in evidence when they are verified as reliable representations of images recorded on master videotapes.... The master videotape used in producing the computer enhancement should also be admitted in evidence to help determine the reliability of the still picture. 3 C. Scott, Photographic Evidence § 1295 (2d ed. 1969 & Supp.1994). In the case before us, the original videotape was introduced into evidence and viewed by the circuit court and jury, and the reliability of the enhanced photographs was attested to by multiple witnesses. There was no evidence of distortion to any photograph of the suspect. The circuit court properly ruled in a pre-trial hearing that so long as the process leading to the duplicate videotape and enhanced photographs was explained to the jury, it would allow their introduction. This was done during trial. There was no abuse of discretion under the facts of this case.