Torres v Hickman, 2018 NY Slip Op 04372 [2d Dept 2018]
Contrary to the plaintiff's contention, the Supreme Court providently exercised its discretion in precluding the proffered surveillance video excerpt. "Testimony from [a] videographer that he [or she] took the video, that it correctly reflects what he [or she] saw, and that it has not been altered or edited is normally sufficient to authenticate a videotape" (Zegarelli v Hughes, 3 NY3d 64, 69). Where the videographer is not called as a witness, the video can still be authenticated with testimony that the video "truly and accurately represents what was before the camera" (People v Byrnes, 33 NY2d 343, 349; see Zegarelli v Hughes, 3 NY3d at 69). Furthermore, "[e]vidence establishing the chain of custody of the videotape may additionally buttress its authenticity and integrity, and even allow for acceptable inferences of reasonable accuracy and freedom from tampering" (People v Patterson, 93 NY2d 80, 84; see Read v Ellenville Natl. Bank, 20 AD3d 408, 409). Here, given the inability of the witness to testify regarding the editing of the master recording and the accuracy of the video excerpt, and his lack of personal knowledge as to the creation of the proffered disc and how it came into the possession of the plaintiff's attorneys, we agree with the court's determination that the plaintiff failed to properly authenticate the video excerpt (see Read v Ellenville Natl. Bank, 20 AD3d at 409-410).
Additionally, the Supreme Court providently exercised its discretion in precluding the plaintiff's orthopedic surgeon from testifying that the accident imparted "tremendous energy" to the plaintiff's vehicle, since the witness was not a biomechanical engineer, and since he failed to quantify the amount of energy involved (see Plate v Palisade Film Delivery Corp., 39 AD3d 835, 837).
The plaintiff's contention that she was entitled to a missing witness charge is unpreserved for appellate review (see CPLR 4110-b).
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