In the ongoing trial of NY v. Trump, Doug Daus, a computer forensic analyst from the Manhattan District Attorney's office, took the stand as the seventh witness. Daus provided insights into his examination of two cell phones belonging to Michael Cohen, former attorney to Donald Trump.
During his testimony, Daus fielded questions from both the defense and prosecution regarding his analysis of the phones, particularly focusing on applications capable of sending disappearing messages. Notably, an audio recording from Cohen's phone was played for the jury, where Cohen discussed the need to set up a company to transfer funds to an individual referred to as 'our friend David'.
Trump's defense attorney, Emil Bove, cross-examined Daus, highlighting potential gaps in the timeline that could raise concerns about tampering. Daus acknowledged the absence of direct evidence of tampering but noted uncertainties surrounding the handling of the phone and the recording process.
Under redirect from prosecutor Christopher Conroy, Daus emphasized that using a phone for recordings was not uncommon and explained the limitations in retaining call records over extended periods. When asked about the completeness of his forensic extraction process, Daus affirmed that he followed the gold standard in his analysis.
Despite the thorough examination, Daus stated that he did not find evidence of tampering on the phones. However, Trump's legal team pressed Daus on uncertainties regarding the phone's handling, suggesting reliance on Cohen's account for certain details.
Throughout the proceedings, Daus maintained his professional assessment, indicating no signs of tampering while acknowledging the complexities involved in verifying historical phone data. The trial continues to unfold as witnesses like Daus provide critical insights into the digital evidence under scrutiny.
