Sources we work with
- Mobile device extractions
- Social media accounts and platform legal returns
- Cloud and messaging services
- CCTV, DVR, and NVR surveillance systems
- Body-worn and in-car camera systems
- Doorbell and home security cameras
- Dash cameras
- Media produced in discovery
What the analysis covers
Metadata & provenance
Examination of EXIF and container metadata, embedded and system timestamps, geotags, device and codec signatures, and file structure to establish where a file came from, what device likely created it, and how it's been handled since.
Authentication & validation
Is this the original, a derivative, a re-encoded copy, or an altered file? We look for re-compression, cropping, trimming, frame-rate and aspect-ratio changes, and alterations introduced by social media platforms, and validate produced media against the source device or system of record.
Timestamp verification & synchronization
Surveillance clocks drift, time zones and daylight saving are set wrong, and every camera keeps its own time. We reconcile clock settings and drift across multiple cameras and devices to build a single, defensible timeline.
Comparative analysis
Structured comparison of images and video across sources for consistency of persons, vehicles, clothing, objects, locations, and event sequence, including tracing duplicates and re-shared copies across social media accounts and devices.
Event reconstruction & demonstratives
Frame-by-frame review, sequencing of multi-camera coverage, and correlation with phone records, extraction artifacts, location data, and telematics. Courtroom exhibits include annotated stills, side-by-side comparisons, and synchronized multi-camera timelines.
Peer review and rebuttal: we also review law enforcement and opposing-expert media analysis for methodology, documentation, and limitations, and identify conclusions that go beyond what the media can reliably establish.
Background in this work
As a task force detective, Andrew McDermott collected and preserved image and video evidence from all of these sources in forensically sound condition, with native-format retention, hash verification, and documented chain of custody. He has been endorsed as an expert in Jefferson County, Colorado (1st Judicial District) on the examination, analysis, and comparison of digital images.