Which statement best describes when a photo or video is used to illustrate witness testimony and authentication is required?

• A. No authentication is required
• B. The device must be working properly
• C. It must be introduced as independent evidence
• D. It must be properly installed and the chain of custody must be established

Answer: (A)

When a photo or video is used to illustrate witness testimony, it acts as a visual aid to help the jury understand what the witness describes, not as independent proof of the event. In that role, you don’t need a full authentication process like you would for real or documentary evidence; the key requirement is that the witness can identify the image as a fair, accurate depiction of what they observed. The device’s operation or installation and any chain-of-custody concerns aren’t the focus here, because the item isn’t being offered to prove the truth of the content on its own. So the statement that no separate authentication beyond the witness’s identification is required best fits this situation.