Jennifer Rogers

Jennifer Rogers addressed the Court in an unsworn victim impact statement at sentencing on Day 67. Speaking as Sean Collier's sister, she described receiving the news that he had been shot and the lasting distress of seeing his body at the hospital. Her contribution concerned the consequences of his death, rather than an eyewitness account of the shooting.

Rogers described grief compounded by unwanted media attention and the public exposure surrounding the trial. She said news coverage could trigger panic attacks, encounters with strangers made privacy difficult, and activities she once enjoyed brought less pleasure. Although she acknowledged support from survivors, friends, the Boston community, and law enforcement, she said those connections could not replace her brother or restore her former sense of self.

Rogers disputed the defense portrayal of Tsarnaev as a remorseful follower of his brother and said she had observed no remorse when victims and relatives described their suffering. She also said she did not expect to feel whole again despite defense counsel's characterization of her as resilient. She asked the Court to impose strict, consecutive sentences for offenses not carrying the death penalty so that Tsarnaev could never be released. These were her assessments and sentencing request, not Court findings or rulings.