Man acquitted in New Hampshire's first deepfake trial

Deliberations lasted only about 30 minutes, with jurors beginning their work at about 4 p.m. and returning the decision shortly afterward.

A jury in New Hampshire reached a not guilty verdict on Monday in a case that centered on a digitally altered video, ending the state’s first trial involving alleged deepfake fraud.

The defendant, Jaxen Cole, 22, had been accused of tampering with police body camera footage after posting an edited version tied to his 2024 arrest. His lawyer maintained that the material was meant as parody rather than criminal deception.

Deliberations lasted only about 30 minutes, with jurors beginning their work at about 4 p.m. and returning the decision shortly afterward.

The controversy began in February 2025 when Cole shared booking footage from his arrest on social media. About a week later, a manipulated version of the same video appeared online. In that edit, the officer’s words were changed so the voice appeared to praise Cole, request an autograph, and suggest the post would be embarrassing and could cause trouble at work. The post was reportedly shared on Valentine's Day and included language inviting followers to decide whether the officer was acting as Cole’s valentine.

Laconia police were alerted the same day and opened an investigation. The officer whose image and voice were used testified that the audio sounded like him, but he said he never made those statements.

Prosecutors told jurors the video was created to insult or damage the officer’s reputation, even if it was also meant to be funny. Defense attorney Allison Ambrose countered that the officer and the city were not identified and that the clip functioned as satire aimed at Cole’s online audience.

After the verdict, Cole said the case had taken a heavy toll on him emotionally and financially and expressed relief that it was over. He also said he hoped the outcome would inform how future deepfake-related prosecutions are handled.