Ed Primeau
501 Lockmoore Ct
Rochester Hills Michigan
48307
248-853-4091
Ed@PrimeauProductions.com

Since 1984, I have concentrated on diverse set of skills acquired within the audio visual field as an audio engineer, video director and producer, and have a strong background in audio video production on various editing formats and systems.

In 1979, I began as an apprentice audio engineer and was trained to record and edit spoken word recordings such as training tapes and audio books. I remained a dialog editor using razor blade editing as the only form of audio editing available back then. I used my audio perception (not visual perception which is how audio editing is executed today) to match voice tone and levels as well as create smooth content and flow for these products.

That apprenticeship led me to becoming a full time audio engineer for nearly 8 years. In 1986 I left Ambience Recordings where I completed my apprenticeship and worked as a full time audio engineer and began to work for my part time business Primeau Productions.

I attended the University of Detroit from 1979 to 1985 with my major in communication studies and a minor in criminal justice. While at the University, I was a volunteer probation officer for the 53rd district court in Troy Michigan under judge Drewery.

Since then, I have completed dozens of audio and video evidence based cases for many courts and attorneys across the United States. I have authored several articles that have been published by LEVA, NSA, TASA, and Midwest Meetings. I authored the book “The Art of Production” as well as the E Book “The Video Revolution”.

I am a member of AES, ACFE, IAI, and NSA.. I earned a merit award in 1993 from the Michigan chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for sound restoration on an NBC show “Peter and the Wolf”.

I help courts and law enforcement agencies understand the science and technology of voice identification. We all have distinctive characteristics to our voice and words as well as how we pronounce those words. Each of us has a unique nasal cavity, larynx, teeth, tongue, and mouth. These distinct characteristics all come together and create a unique sounding voice that can be examined and analyzed using computer software and auditory perception to determine if voices in question are from the same person.

My philosophy is that forensics examination and restoration of audio/video media ideally combines art as well as science. The methods that an expert uses require attention to detail and scientific principles, complemented by an appreciation for clarity and aesthetics. My techniques are derived from both formal education and application of skills gained by working in many forensics situations.

To present a few milestones: I have provided audio restoration of informant wire recordings that served as key evidence in convictions involving two Detroit area judges. In the course of my career, I have completed dozens of forensics-focused assignments for attorneys throughout the United States.

• 1979-1985: University of Detroit (Communications major, Criminal Justice minor)
• 1978-1981: Probation officer, 52nd District Court, Troy, Michigan
• 1980-1988: Ambience Recording Studio, audio engineer/national sales manager
• 1984-present: Primeau Productions, Inc., President; focusing on marketing videos for professional speakers, audio/video editing, convention/conference production
• 1996-present: TASA audio and video identification/restoration/authentication expert
• 2006-Member of International Association for Identification
• 2005 Member Audio Engineering Society
• 2006 Member American College of Forensic Examiners
• 1998-1999: National Speakers Association of Michigan, President
• 2000-present: Member of Law Enforcement/Emergency Services Video Association (LEVA)
• Established expert with acetate and vinyl restoration – Primeau Productions, Inc.
• Hundreds of spoken-word recordings analyzed, clarified and/or restored using computer technology and visual examination of audio and videotape
• Experienced in court testimony and pre-trial preparation of counsel
• Published author, audio and video forensics articles (LEVA, National Speakers Association)
• Author of the book "The Art of Production"
• Resource Audio and Video Forensics for Dateline NBC.
• Appointed to the Office of Drug Control Policy of the State of Michigan under State Drug Czar

AUDIO FORENSIC SERVICES*

• Background noise removal/sound clarification
• Voice identification
• Audio recording authentication
• Micro cassette transfers to any format audio
• Audio conversion to compact disc
• Courtroom Testimony

VIDEO FORENSIC SERVICES*

• Video Authentication and restoration
• Video image clarification
• Frame capture from video
• Video conversion to DVD
• CD ROM and DVD design and programming
• Courtroom Testimony

*Any and all formats of audio and video accepted

The following is a partial list of cases I have worked on and/or testified in.

1. William Richmond 121 2nd St., Beckley, WV 25801
Beckley Steel Inc.
Ex-employee recorded conversations of Beckley Steel management with employee. I analyzed recordings on behalf of plaintiff Beckley Steel and was deposed via the telephone. The case never went to court.

2. DiGiacomo & Baffa 16th Floor, 1601 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Fitzgerald v. Skobeloff
I represented the plaintiff with counsel DiGiacomo in a medial malpractice suit against a doctor (Skobeloff) and hospital. The case involved a phone answering machine tape erasure – accidentally erased by court reporter. I confirmed the erasure and explained the information could not be recovered. I testified in this case in Deleware County Pennsilvania.

3. Camile Conway Pugh, Jones & Johnson, 180 N. LaSalle St., Suite 2910, Chicago, IL 60601
This was the well-publicized Chicago nightclub stampede disaster that made national news. I was retained by the city attorney of Chicago to examine a nightclub’s digital surveillance system. The system had been tampered with and the original footage was not available to examine. Several people were trampled while trying to evacuate a nightclub on Michigan Avenue. The surveillance system incorporated a digital video recorder. One of the owners was behind the accidental erasure of all video evidence.

4. Patrick Coolihan Coolihan, DeMeo & Beard, P.C.
1900 Spring Rd., Suite 508, Oak Brook, IL 60523
People of the State of Illinois v. Michael Hay: I represented the defendant as a video expert. A CCTV video tape of a (jewelry store) robbery was provided and I captured some frames from the surveillance video and clarified them. Once clarified I made some prints and sent the prints and video files (on a CD). I testified to my findings in the DuPage County courthouse, 1900 Spring Rd., Oak Brook, IL 60523.

5. Mark Bendure Bendure & Thomas
577 E. Larned, Suite 210, Detroit, MI 48226
The Judicial Tenure Commission v. Ferrara
I represented the defendant, Judge Ferrara, with counsel Mark Bendure. My responsibilities included voice identification and examining the tapes for tampering. The Executive Director, Allen Sobel, represented the JTC. I testified in this case here in Detroit in front of the Judicial Tenure Commission.

6. Jeff Ogren Bochetto & Lentz
1524 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19102
Michigan Public Service Commission
Knox v. Pathfinders
I represented the defense, Pathfinders, with Counsel Jeff Ogren. My responsibilities included determining if a third-party verification recording had been tampered with. I testified in front of Judge Goldstein and the Michigan Public Service Commission.

7. Deborah Marik Newton Falls, Ohio, Circuit Court
Clark and Langley v. Patrick Layshock
I represented the plaintiff with counsel Deborah Marik. My responsibilities were to determine whether the (8) audio tapes submitted to me were intercepted phone calls; determine how these calls were made; were they tapes made by anyone involved in the conversations and were the police involved in making the recordings. I was deposed in Michigan for this Ohio case.

8. Margolis Edelstein 1500 Grant Building, Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2203, (412) 281-4256
David Brinker v. Municipality of Marysville
I represented the Municipality of Marysville to analyze general police department tapes for authenticity and possible alteration. I testified via deposition. I was hired by the poliece department in Marysville Pennsylvania.

9. Charles McKinney Columbus, Oh
People of Ohio v. Wendall Jackson
This is a criminal case I testified in where a CI made audio cassette recordings of a police officer during business transactions. He tried to entrap the officer with receiving stolen merchandise. I examined the cassette recordings, testified in court in Columbus Ohio for this criminal case and determined that they could not be authenticated. We won the case which went on to a civil case I also testified in.

10. Michael Gorte Bay City, Michigan
989-894-670
People v. Edward Murray
In this case, I examined an answering machine recording and compared the voice of the accused with the voice on the evidence recording which was the recorded evidence in a parole violation matter. I examined the answering machine and recording under the supervision of the Sheriff’s Department as well as the prosecuting attorney. I testified in court 10/14/05.

11.Ron Snyder Columbus, Ohio
614-461-4455
State of Ohio v Wendall Jackson
This is the civil case as described above held in City Hall in Columbus Ohio. I testified on behalf of Wendall Jackson, the plaintiff on March 29th 2006.

12. Steven Potter Auburn Hills Michigan
248-377-1700 (Contact Misty)
Haddad v Indiana Pacers
I was the video expert for the defense, the Indiana Pacers, during this one week trial, took the stand once to explain the video evidence I had assembled from all network sources, including ESPN, Fox Midwest and WB20.
The jury returned a not guilty verdict on behalf of the Pacers.

Ed Primeau
Primeau Productions, Inc.
(248) 853-4091
(248) 853-4098 (FAX)