BASIC PRACTICES Documenting the “What” Video documenting the execution or the aftermath of a crime is called “crime-based evidence.” Here are several examples of footage that could serve as crime-based evidence. Video footage of: • Military forces torturing a civilian and of the injuries endured after the torture stopped; • Bulldozers unlawfully destroying homes and the damage caused after the bulldozers have left the scene; • Police placing a suspect in an illegal chokehold and images of the person after he died from the hold; • Airstrikes on hospitals and their subsequent destruction after the strikes have ended; • Children in military camps being trained for warfare; • Drill rigs illegally placed on indigenous lands drilling for oil. Capturing the “What” is somewhat instinctual. You see something that is wrong, point the camera toward it and press record. This, in part, is why there is a flood of crime-based video. Capturing evidence of the “Who” and “How” is much less intuitive and harder to do. Let’s take a look at techniques that can help you. Documenting the “Who” and “How” Video footage that includes clues about the “Who” and “How” is often referred to as “linkage evidence” because the evidence “links” the perpetrator to the crime. While it may be impossible to use video to determine exactly who committed a crime and how they did it, video can provide important clues that investigators and lawyers can piece together with other sources of evidence – such as documents or witness testimony – to figure out who should be held accountable even if the perpetrator is far away from the scene of the crime. Sometimes documenting the “Who” and “How” is easy to capture with video. For example, you might be able to film: FOR MORE INFORMATION See “Filming Linkage Evidence” at bit.ly/ WITNESSLibrary_ VaE • The face of a soldier as he repeatedly beats a civilian; • The face of the bulldozer operator as he destroys homes; • The badge number and name plate of the officer who is holding a suspect in an illegal chokehold that led to death. 61 VIDEO AS EVIDENCE: BASIC PRACTICES V 1.0