Jennifer Carr-Callison

Jennifer Carr-Callison testified for the defense on Day 59 about Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's participation in Best Buddies at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. As the chapter's faculty advisor, she described an inclusive social club for students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. She recalled Tsarnaev attending its prom and believed he attended other events, describing him as kind, respectful, and considerate toward students with intellectual challenges.

Under Miriam Conrad's questioning, Carr-Callison explained that participation was voluntary, earned no academic credit, and did not satisfy the school's community-service requirement. She also said Tsarnaev had not asked her for a college recommendation. A banquet photograph was admitted, although she qualified her identification of the event.

Conrad asked whether the bombing was consistent with the student Carr-Callison remembered. Nadine Pellegrini objected; the court overruled the first objection and allowed a follow-up despite another objection. Carr-Callison said she did not believe the bombing was consistent with the student she knew and could not imagine him committing it in 2011. She limited that assessment to her experience with him in the club.