Volume 1, Number 2 C HILD S EXUAL E XPLOITATION P ROGRAM Fall 2004
American Prosecutors Methods of Proof: The ‘Real Child’ Research Issue in Child Pornography Cases Institute By Damon A. Kin g1 Childproof: Advanced Trial Advocacy for Child Abuse ntroduction 3. Introduce Expert Digital Imaging Prosecutors The Supreme Court’s decision in Ashcroft v. Testimony February 27–March 4, Free Speech Coalition 2 made clear that the New Prosecutors can present testimony regarding digital 2005 York v. Ferber prohibition on sexually explicit imaging technology and the images at issue when National Advocacy Center images of children applies only to images faced with the ‘real child’ defense. For example, in Columbia, South Carolina depicting “real” children. Therefore, the bur - United States v. Guagliardo , the government intro - Advanced trial advocacy training for den is on the government to prove that an duced evidence that the defendant’s images had child abuse prosecutors. For details, Iimage of child pornography depicts a “real” been published in magazines dating from the visit our Web site at www.ndaa- child. This is especially true where the defense is 1970’s and 1980’s, before computer “morphing” apri.org or contact the National that an image might be of a “virtual” child, created technology was available. This was done through Advocacy Center at 803 544-5055. out of whole cloth by digital imaging software and the testimony of a Customs Service mail inspector indistinguishable from a real child. While the who had personally encountered magazines that Unsafe Havens: PROTECT Act sought to provide some assistance contained copies of Guagliardo’s images. 8 Prosecution of Online in resolving this issue, proving that a depicted child Where the production dates of the images can - Crimes Against Children is real remains a matter of great concern. 3 This not be determined, or where the images were pro - June 6–10, 2005 article suggests several strategies for proving that a duced after computer “morphing” technology National Advocacy Center child depicted in an image of child pornography is became available, prosecutors can present opinion Columbia, South Carolina a real child. testimony from a digital imaging expert that the Advanced trial advocacy for prosecu - charged images are not “morphed” or wholly tors with experience in handling 1. Establish the Actual Identity of the Child computer-generated. An example of successful use computer facilitated crimes against “Known victim” identification programs at the of such expert testimony appears in United States v. children. For details, visit our Web site National Center for Missing and Exploited Rearden , where the court accepted as an expert an at www.ndaa-apri.org or contact the Children (NCMEC) in Alexandria, Virginia; the employee of a visual effects studio based on his National Advocacy Center at Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Innocent training and experience in the film industry. This 803 544-5055. Images Unit in Calverton, Maryland; and the expert testified that the images at issue had not National Child Victim Identification Program been composited (altered by, for example, transfer - (NCVIP) at the Bureau of Immigration and ring the head of one person to the body of anoth - Customs Enforcement (ICE) Cyber Crime Center er) or morphed (in the expert’s view, an image cre - (C3) in Fairfax, Virginia can help agents and prose - ated from two other images). 9 cutors determine whether a particular image pos - In addition to industry experts who can be sessed, received or distributed by a defendant is of sought out locally within the technology industry a “known” victim. 4 Each of theses programs will or on the faculty of colleges and universities, sever - conduct an analysis of questioned images submit - al law enforcement agency resources are available ted by law enforcement for a particular case and to perform digital imaging analysis and to provide generate a report regarding its findings. Since testimony. For example, in United States v. these databases may overlap, the prudent course is Marchand 10 , a digital imaging expert from the FBI to check each one. Forensic Audio Visual and Image Analysis Unit Although such identification may aid in obtain - (FAVIAU) in Quantico, Virginia, testified in rebut - ing a plea agreement, to overcome a hearsay objec - tal to the defense’s expert that images in the defen - tion at trial, the state’s witness must have personal dant’s possession could have been created virtually. knowledge regarding the identity of the children Similarly, the Department of Defense Computer depicted as in United States v. Marchand 5, rather than Forensics Laboratory (DCFL) located in Linthicum, rely solely on information contained in the Maryland, can perform quantitative and qualitative NCMEC, FBI, or NCVIP databases as in United analysis of a questioned image using specifically States v. Padget t 6. Yet because the government need designed forensic tools to determine if a picture is of only prove that one image is of a real child to secure a real person or if it has been digitally created. This Update is published by a conviction, this remains an effective approach. analysis, however, is expensive, requiring approxi - the American Prosecutors mately eight to twelve analyst hours per image. Research Institute’s 2. Rely on the Images Themselves National Center for Although not all collections will contain images of 4. Look for Embedded Data Prosecution of Child known victims, the identification of known victims In some instances, even a cursory examination of a Abuse. Items may be is by no means the only way to meet the govern - digital image can reveal significant evidence that the reprinted if attributed to ment’s burden of proving a real child. There is image is a real photograph rather than wholly com - APRI’s National Center for support for the position that simply entering the puter generated. Images created with a digital cam - Prosecution of Child images into evidence can meet the government’s era may contain metadata in the form of an Abuse. Please provide burden. All five of the circuits that have addressed Extended File Information (EXIF) header. An EXIF copies to Update . Contact the issue in light of Free Speech have concluded header may include such information as the make us if you have inquiries or that the jury can make its decision by simply and model of the camera used to take the picture viewing the images themselves. 7 and the date and time the picture was taken. If the article suggestions at 703.549.4253. American Prosecutors Research Institute Non Profit National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse Organization 99 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 510 U.S. Postage Alexandria, Virginia 22314 PAID www.ndaa-apri.org Merrifield, VA Permit No. 768
The National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse is a program of the American Prosecutors Research Institute, the non-profit research, training and technical assistance affiliate of the National District Attorneys Association. This publication was prepared under Grant No. 2003- MC-CX-K001 from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, US Department of Justice. This information is offered for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. Points of view in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily
represent the official position of the US Department of Justice, NDAA or APRI.
. ) 2 0 0 2 ( 4 3 2 . S . U 5 3 5 . ) e m a s ( ) 8 8 9 1 . r i C h t 6 ( 9 9 2 d 2 . F 2
. ) . C . D , n o t g n i h s a W ( e c i t s u J f o t n e m t r a p e D s e t a t S d e t i n U 5 5 8 , ; ) e m a s ( ) 9 8 9 1 . Y . N . D . W ( 3 2 0 3 5 L W 9 8 9 1 , n o s n h o J . v s e t a t S d e t i n U y a d a M
, n o i s i v i D l a n i m i r C , n o i t c e S y t i n e c s b O d n a n o i t a t i o l p x E d l i h C , y e n r o t t A l a i r T ; ) s e t u t a t s y t i n e c s b o d n a y h p a r g o n r o p d l i h c h t o b r e d n u d e g r a h c ( . v s e t a t S d e t i n U 1
) 0 9 9 1 . r i C h t 6 ( ) ( 3 1 7 d 2 . F 6 1 9 , ; ) s e t u t a t s h t o b d e h s i l b u p n u r e f o C . v s e t a t S d e t i n U
f o s n o i t a l o i v h t i w d e g r a h c d n a s l i a m e h t h g u o r h t y h p a r g o n r o p d l i h c d e r e d r o
t n a d n e f e d ( ) 3 9 9 1 . r i C h t 6 ( 5 4 3 d 2 . F 7 8 9 , l u a m s s u K . v s e t a t S d e t i n U , . g . e , e e S . y t i n e c s b o f o n o i s s e s s o p e t a v i r p e r e m s e h s i n u p 2 6 4 1 7 1
. ) 2 0 0 2 , 6 1 . p e S , . p p A . m i r C . t C . M . N ( 2 8 4 8 9 0 1 3 L W 2 0 0 2
r o n 1 6 4 1 n o i t c e S r e h t i e n , r e v e w o h , y l b a t o N . s r o n i m o t s l a i r e t a m 6 1
7 1
. ) 2 0 0 2 r e b o t c O ( f d p . n r o p _ d l i h c / s d a o l n w o d / g r o . c 3 w n . w w w / / : p t t h e n e c s b o f o r e f s n a r t e h t s e z i l a n i m i r c 0 7 4 1 § . C . S . U 8 1 d n a , l a i r e t a m
, r e t n e C e m i r C r a l l o C e t i h W l a n o i t a N , t a n o i t i l a o C h c e e p S e n e c s b o f o n o i t a t r o p s n a r t r o n o i t a t r o p m i e h t s e z i l a n i m i r c 2 6 4 1
e e r F . v t f o r c h s A f o e k a W e h t n i y h p a r g o n r o P d l i h C d e t a r e n e G - r e t u p m o C g n i t u c e s o r P § . C . S . U 8 1 , l a i r e t a m e n e c s b o f o y r e v i l e d r o f l i a m e h t f o e s u e h t 5 1
. ) g n i t n e s s i d , . J , d r o f w a r C ( 7 5 4 s e z i l a n i m i r c 1 6 4 1 § . C . S . U 8 1 , y l l a c i f i c e p S . s e g a m i e h t n i d e t c i p e d
, 0 5 4 . J . M 8 5 , ( ” . n e r d l i h c l a u t c a f o e r e w s e g a m i r o n n o C ’ O . v s e t a t S d e t i n U g n i t i c e r a n e r d l i h c l a e r t a h t g n i k c a l s i f o o r p e r e h w s e s a c n i y t i n e c s b o
e s e h t f o e m o s t a h t e t a t c i d e s n e s n o m m o c d n a y t i l i b a b o r p “ t c u d n o c t i c i l p x e s a y h p a r g o n r o p d l i h c e g r a h c y l e v i t a n r e t l a o t s i n o i t p o l a n i f e n O
y l l a u x e s n i d e g a g n e s r o n i m g n i n i a t n o c s e l i f 7 6 t s a e l t a d e w e i v t n a d n e f e d y t i n e c s b O g n i g r a h C r e d i s n o C . 8
e r e h w ( ) 4 0 0 2 , 6 1 . r a M . A . C . C . F . A ( 6 9 8 7 3 6 L W 4 0 0 2 , l h e i D . v s e t a t S d e t i n U 4 1
. ) l a e r e r e w d e t c i p e d n e r d l i h c t a h t y n o m i t s e t s ’ n a i c i r t a i d e p d n a s e g a m i
” . . . y t i l i b i s s o p e l b a i v a l l i t s s i . . . t p m e t t a
6 1
m o r f r e f n i d l u o c y r u j ( ) 9 9 9 1 . r i C h t 8 ( 0 5 - 9 4 4 , 3 4 4 d 3 . F 7 6 1 , g i V . v s e t a t S d e t i n U n a f o e s n e f f o d e d u l c n i - r e s s e l e h t f o n o i t c i v n o c a , s e g a m i n a m u h - n o n
; ) ” n e r d l i h c l a e r y a r t r o p o t d e r a e p p a s h p a r g o t o h p “ t a h t d e i f i t s e t n a i c i r t a i d e p ( , d e t a r e n e g - r e t u p m o c e c i v , e l p o e p l a e r e r a s h p a r g o t o h p d e s a b - e s a c e h t
) 2 0 0 2 . r i C h t 1 1 ( 2 8 2 1 , 9 7 2 1 d 3 . F 0 9 2 , . 9 1 0 1 t a . r e d n e B . v s e t a t S d e t i n U o s l a e e S d I n i d e r u t p a c s l a u d i v i d n i e h t t a h t t b u o d e l b a n o s a e r a d n o y e b e v o r p o t 3 1
. ) 7 8 9 1 . r i C t s 1 ( 5 1 0 1 . d 2 . F 8 1 8 t n e i c i f f u s n i s i — e k a t y a m t i m r o f r e v e t a h w — e c n e d i v e s ’ t n e m n r e v o G 2 1
. f d p . 4 t r a _ 3 i 2 v _ r e t n i w _ 4 0 / s c o d / g r o . e d j i . w w w / / : p t t h e h t f i n e v ] e [ “ , n i d e z i n g o c e r s A . e s n e f f o r r a t S . v s e t a t S d e t i n U
, ) 4 0 0 2 r e t n i W ( 3 . E D . J t a D I V L A T I G I n o i s s e s s o p r o t p i e c e r , n o i t u b i r t s i d e v i t n a t s b u s e h t h t i w y l e v i t c n u j
’ I 2 , s i s y l a n A e c n e d i v E l a t i g i D n i s r e d a e H e l i F ) F I X E ( n o i t a m r o f n I e l i F d e d n e t x E L N T - n o c e s n e f f o t p m e t t a n a g n i g r a h c r e d i s n o c d l u o h s o s l a s r o t u c e s o r P
, z e r a v l A l u a P , f o e k a w e h t n i s n o i t g n i s U e e s n o i t i l a o C h c e e p S e e r F . v t f o r c h s A t p m e t t A g n i g r a h C r e d i s n o C . 7
- u c e s o r p d n a s n o i t a g i t s e v n i y h p a r g o n r o p d l i h c n i n o i t a m r o f n i a t a d a t e m d n a r e
- d a e h F I X E g n i s u f o y g o l o d o h t e m d n a e u l a v e h t f o n o i s s u c s i d t n e l l e c x e n a r o F
1 1
. n o i s i c e d e h t o t r o i r p e c u d h c e e p S e e r F
. 3 e t o n a r p u s e e S
0 1
- o r t n i r o e g r a h c o t t h g u o s e v a h d l u o w e h s r o e h n a h t s e g a m i e r o m
. ) 2 0 0 2 r e b o t c O ( f d p . n r o p _ d l i h c / s d a o l n w o d / g r o . c 3 w n . w w w / / : p t t h t a
l a i r t t a e c n e d i v e o t n i e c u d o r t n i e s i w r e h t o r o e g r a h c o t h s i w y a m
, r e t n e C e m i r C r a l l o C e t i h W l a n o i t a N , n o i t i l a o C h c e e p S e e r F . v t f o r c h s A f o e k a W e h t
r o t u c e s o r p a , y l t n e u q e s n o C ” . d e t n e s e r p y h p a r g o n r o p d l i h c d e t c e p s u s
s g n i e b n a m u h f o s e g a m i n i y h p a r g o n r o P d l i h C d e t a r e n e G - r e t u p m o C g n i t u c e s o r P e e s 5 1
f o e c n a t s n i y r e v e g n i t a e r c , t r o f f e d n a , y e n o m , e m i t f o s t n u o m a s u o d
c i t s i l a e r - o t o h p d e t a r e n e g r e t u p m o c y l l o h w g n i t a e r c n o s n o i t a t i m i l e h t g n i d r a g e r
- n e m e r t t n e p s e v a h t h g i m s l a n o i s s e f o r p r e b i l a c - d o o w y l l o H , r e w a r d
s i s y l a n a d n a n o i s s u c s i d l a n o i t i d d a r o F . ) 3 0 0 2 . r i C h t 9 ( 4 1 6 - 3 1 6 , 8 0 6 d 3 . F 9 4 3
9
- p o t t a h t f e i l e b e l b a n o s a e r a o t s t n u o m a , n e h t , t b u o d e l b a n o s a e r A
. ) d l i h c l a e r a t c i p e d s e g a m i 1 1 e h t t a h t n w a r d e b d l u o c
. . . s n o i t c e l l o c r i e h t n i s e g a m i f o s d e r d n u h e v a h o t d n e t y h p a r g o n r o p
e c n e r e f n i d n u o s a t a h t e v i t i m i r p o s s a w y g o l o n h c e t r e t u p m o c n e h w n e k a t e r e w
d l i h c f o s r o t c e l l o ] C [ “ . e u s s i t a s e g a m i f o r e b m u n e h t m o r f y l e r e m
h c i h w s h p a r g o t o h p e n i z a g a m 6 8 9 1 - e r p o t s h p a r g o t o h p d e g r a h c e h t f o 1 1 d e k n i l 4 1
n e r d l i h c l a u t c a e v l o v n i s e g a m i d e g r a h c e h t f o e r o m r o e n o t a h t
t r e p x e r e t u p m o c s ’ t n e m n r e v o G ( ) 4 0 0 2 . J . N . D ( 8 9 4 d 2 . p p u S . F 8 0 3 , d n a h c r a M
r e f n i y a m t c a f f o r e i r t a t a h t n o i t i s o p o r p e h t r o f t r o p p u s o s l a s i e r e h T
. ) d e t t i m o s n o i t a t i c ( ) 2 0 0 2 . r i C h t 9 ( 2 7 - 1 7 8 , 8 6 8 d 3 . F 8 7 2 . v s e t a t S d e t i n U o s l a e e S
8
6 s e v l e s m e h T r o f k a e p S s r e b m u N e h t t e L .
. ) n e r d l i h c l a u t c a o t d e s o p p o s a n e r d l i h c l a u t r i v d e t c i p e d s e g a m i t a h t d n u o f e v a h
d l u o c y r u j e l b a n o s a e r o n t a h t d e w o h s s e g a m i d e g r a h c f o n o i t a n i m a x e , n o i t c u r t s n i
y r u j l a n o i t u t i t s n o c n u e t i p s e d ( ) 2 0 0 2 . r i C h t 1 1 ( 0 6 2 1 , 0 5 2 1 d 3 . F 2 1 3 , l l a H . v s e t a t S
. g n i r a e p p a e r r a z i b d n a l a r u t a n n u k o o l d l u o w
3 1
; ) s e g a m i g n i w e i v m o r f s n o i s u l c n o c n w o s t i w a r d d l u o c y r u j ( ( d e t i n U ) d e h s i l b u p n u , s g e l d n a s m r a , o s r o t s ’ d l i h c a h t i w a i l a t i n e g t l u d a , e l p m a x e r o f , f o s o t
) 3 0 0 2 . r i C h t 6 ( 9 7 3 , 1 7 3 . x p p A . d e F 7 7 , ; ) r o n i m l a e r a f o e s u r e l l u F . v s e t a t S d e t i n U - o h p e t i s o p m o c t a h t e s a c t a h t n i n o i n i p o s ’ n a i c i r t a i d e p e h t d e t o n o s l a
d e v l o v n i s e g a m i d e g r a h c f o n o i t c u d o r p t a h t e v o r p o t t n e i c i f f u s e r e w e n o l a s e g a m i t r u o c e h T . s e t i s o p m o c m o r f d e r a p e r p r o ” d e r o t c o d “ n e e b e v a h y a m
t a h t g n i d l o h ( ) m a i r u c r e p ( ) 3 0 0 2 . r i C h t 8 ( 5 5 4 , 4 5 4 d 3 . F 8 2 3 , n o t a e D . v s e t a t S s e g a m i d e g r a h c e h t t a h t e s n e f e d e h t y b n o i t a l u c e p s e t a g e n o t t r e p x e
; ) e m a s ( ) 3 0 0 2 . r i C h t 0 1 ( 2 4 1 1 , 2 3 1 1 d 3 . F 5 3 3 , ; ) n o i s d e t i n U r e l m i K . v s e t a t S d e t i n U y h p a r g o t o h p a m o r f y n o m i t s e t t r e p x e t n e s e r p o t d e r i u q e r t o n s a w
- i c e d e h t y b d e r i u q e r s i y t i t n e d i m i t c i v f o e c n e d i v e r o n y n o m i t s e t h c e e p S e e r F
t n e m n r e v o g e h t t a h t d l e h t i u c r i C t s r i F e h t , n a l o N . v s e t a t S d e t i n U
2 1
t r e p x e r e h t i e n t a h t d n a ” s e g a m i l a u t r i v d n a l a e r “ n e e w t e b g n i h s i u g n i t s i d f o e l b n I . y h p a r g o n r o p t l u d a h t i w d e r a p e r p s e g a m i e t i s o p m o c e b t h g i m
- a p a c e r a s e i r u j t a h t g n i d l o h ( ) 4 0 0 2 . r i C h t 5 ( 6 5 3 d 3 . F 9 5 3 , a n i n a l S . v s e t a t S d e t i n U e u s s i t a s e g a m i e h t t a h t e s n e f e d e h t g n i t t u b e r n i l u f p l e h e b n a c y n 7
. ) 4 0 0 2 . C . S . D ( 3 9 5 . d 2 . p p u S . F 2 0 3 d - o m i t s e t l a c i d e M . n e r d l i h c l a e r f o e s o h t h t i w t n e t s i s n o c e r a d e t c i p e 6
. ) 4 0 0 2 . J . N . D ( 8 9 4 . d 2 . p p u S . F 8 0 3 n e r d l i h c e h t f o e n o t n i k s d n a , n o i t u b i r t s i d t a f y d o b , s n o i t r o p o r p 5
. ) d e t c i v n o c s a w t n a d n e f e d h c i h w n o p u s e g a m i f o e m o s n i d e t c i p e d e h t s a h c u s s c i t s i r e t c a r a h c t a h t y f i t s e t o t e l b a e b o s l a y a m n a i c i s y h p A
n e r d l i h c e m o s f o s e g a d n a s e i t i t n e d i e s a b a t a d n o i t a t i o l p x e d l i h c I B F m o r f d e m r i f y n o m i t s e T l a c i d e M t r e p x E e c u d o r t n I . 5
- n o c d a h e h s t a h t d e i f i t s e t o h w t n e g a l a i c e p s I B F m o r f y n o m i t s e t d e t p e c c a t r u o c
, y h p a r g o n r o p d l i h c g n i p p i h s d n a g n i t r o p s n a r t r o f n o i t c i v n o c s i h f o e c n e d i v e f o
. d l i h c l a e r a f o h p a r g o t o h p d e r e t l a r o l a e r a s i e g a m i d e n o i t s e u q
1 1
y c n e i c i f f u s e h t d e g n e l l a h c t n a d n e f e d e h t h c i h w n i g n i r a e h s u p r o c s a e b a h t a ( ) 4 0 0 2 a t a h t h s i l b a t s e o t g n i p l e h n i l u f e s u e t i u q e b n a c d n a n o i t a r e t l a d n a
. C . S . D ( 3 9 5 d 2 . p p u S . F 2 0 3 , . ) d e h p a r g o t o h p s a w t t e g d a P . v s e t a t S d e t i n U o s l a e e S d n i g i r o e g a m i t u o b a n o i t a m r o f n i f o t n u o m a e g r a l a d l e i y n a c a t a d d e
e h s r o e h n e h w s a w d l i h c t a h t e g a e h t m o r f t n a t s i d t o n e m i t a t a n o s r e p n i t e m - d e b m e f o e p y t s i h t , l l i t S . e g a m i e h t m o r f n o i t a m r o f n i s i h t p i r t s s m a r g
d a h y e h t m o h w n e r d l i h c s a s e g a m i f o t h g i e n i n e r d l i h c e h t e m a n y b y f i t n e d i y l e v i t - o r p e p y t - p o h s o t o h P y n a m f o s n o i s r e v e h t e s u a c e b s e g a m i d e n o i t s e u q
- i s o p d l u o c y e h t t a h t d e i f i t s e t l i z a r B d n a , d n a l g n E , s e t a t S d e t i n U e h t m o r f s t n e g a n i t n e s e r p t o n n e t f o e r a , s r e d a e h F I X E g n i d u l c n i , a t a d a t e m t a h t , r e v e
t n e m e c r o f n e w a l ( ) 4 0 0 2 . J . N . D ( 8 9 4 d 2 . p p u S . F 8 0 3 , d n a h c r a M . v s e t a t S d e t i n U e e S
- w o h , e t o n o t t n a t r o p m i s i t I . p o h s o t o h P e b o d A s a h c u s m a r g o r p a y b 4
®
. ) 4 0 0 2 ( ) B ( ) 8 ( 6 5 2 2 § . C . S . U 8 1 ” . t c u d n o c t i c i l p x e y l l a u x e s n i g n i g a g n e r o n i m d e r e t l a n e e b s a h e g a m i n a r e h t e h w e t a c i d n i o s l a y a m e g a m i n a n i d e n i a t
a f o t a h t , m o r f e l b a h s i u g n i t s i d n i s i r o , s i t a h t e g a m i d e t a r e n e g - r e t u p m o c r o , e g a m i - n o c a t a d a t e m e h t , n o i t a m r o f n i f o s s a l c d a o r b a s i a t a d a t e m e s u a c e b
r e t u p m o c , e g a m i l a t i g i d a s i “ t a h t n o i t c i p e d l a u s i v a e d u l c n i o t , y h p a r g o n r o p d l i h c , y l l a n o i t i d d A . d e r e t l a r o d e t a r e n e g - r e t u p m o c s a w e g a m i e h t t a h t
r o f n o i t i n i f e d w e n a d e t a e r c , 3 0 0 2 , 0 3 l i r p A n o d e t c a n e , t c A T C E T O R P e h T m i a l c e h t s e n i m r e d n u t i , t c a t n i r e d a e h F I X E n a s a h e g a m i d e n o i t s e u q 3