Depp v. Heard — Trial Archive
Person Julian Ackert Depp v. Heard← All People
Witness

Julian Ackert

Courtroom still of Julian Ackert.

Computer forensics expert who examined disputed photo metadata for Amber Heard’s defense.

2022 Defamation Trial Apr 11 – Jun 1, 2022
Called by defendant
77 lines 3 proceedings 9 highlights

About

Julian Ackert testified for Heard’s defense about photographs challenged by another expert, Bryan Neumeister. Ackert presented charts showing that he found counterparts for all but one of the flagged photos on Heard’s devices, bearing iOS rather than Photos 3.0 software metadata. He offered Apple’s cross-device synchronization as a possible explanation and characterized the proposed EXIF-metadata alteration as hypothetical.

On cross-examination, Ackert acknowledged that Apple’s Photos application can edit as well as organize images. He limited his authentication opinion to the photos Neumeister had specifically challenged. Asked about two visually different photos with the same filename and timestamp, he said further software-metadata analysis would be needed and had not performed that analysis. On redirect, he said he had no reason to question the forensic authenticity of the challenged photos he analyzed.

Trial Record (3)

2022 Defamation Trial Apr 11, 2022 – Jun 1, 2022 3 proceedings

Day 23

Direct Direct Examination of Julian Ackert Julian Ackert Aidan Murphy 4 51
Summary

Heard's computer forensics expert rebutted Neumeister's EXIF metadata concerns, finding original iOS-metadata versions of flagged photos on Heard's actual devices.

Highlights (4)
Quote

“This is a completely hypothetical scenario. Mr. Neumeister never specified.any pictures with specificity that had EXIF metadata modification, and it's a hypothetical, in my opinion,”

Open in transcript → Watch this moment ▶
Cross Cross Examination of Julian Ackert Julian Ackert Wayne Dennison 3 20
Summary

Dennison limits Ackert's authentication scope to Neumeister-flagged photos and presents two admitted exhibits with identical metadata but different visual appearance.

Highlights (3)
Redirect Redirect Examination of Julian Ackert Julian Ackert Aidan Murphy 2 5
Summary

Ackert confirms on brief redirect that he has no reason to question the forensic authenticity of the photos Neumeister flagged, and reaffirms his opinions were made with reasonable forensic certainty.

Highlights (2)
Quote

“Embedded metadata is metadata inside a file. I talked earlier about the date printed of a Word document. That's embedded into the file and that traverses with the file, whenever it goes.”

Open in transcript → Watch this moment ▶

Evidence From Their Proceedings (5)

Photographs Admitted

May 21, 2016 Face Photos — DX-710/712/713/714 + Metadata

Defendant's Exhibits 710, 712, 713, and 714, consisting of May 21, 2016 face photographs of Heard. Exhibits 712 and 713 appear visually different but share identical timestamps…

Catalog entry →
Photographs Excluded

Neumeister Demonstrative PX1303 — File Size Discrepancy

A demonstrative exhibit, designated PX1303, showing three versions of the same injury photograph with mismatched file sizes that would not hash or digitally fingerprint…

Catalog entry →
Photographs Excluded

Ackert Demonstrative — Evidence Provenance Chart (Def. 1675)

A summary chart, designated Defendant's Exhibit 1675, listing IDS evidence numbers, source types distinguishing physical devices from iTunes or iCloud backups, and device details…

Catalog entry →
Photographs Excluded

Ackert Demonstrative — Neumeister Items Mapping Chart (Def. 1671)

A chart, designated Defendant's Exhibit 1671, mapping each item in Neumeister's report to the corresponding original photograph found on Heard's devices, with columns for date…

Catalog entry →
Photographs Unclear

Neumeister-Flagged Photos — Ackert Redirect Rebuttal

Photographs previously flagged by Bryan Neumeister for EXIF metadata concerns, revisited during Ackert's redirect examination. Ackert reaffirmed that he found no forensic…

Catalog entry →