Sarah De Lair

Sarah De Lair testified for the prosecution about her leadership of the evidence search at Scene B, the explosion site near the Forum restaurant. On Day 30, the FBI special agent described recovery of human remains and physical evidence, four search quadrants, and coordinated numbering, photography, sketching and packaging. She also explained controlled access and searches extending into buildings, onto rooftops and beneath planters. After she authenticated the bagged materials, the Court admitted Government Exhibits 42 through 618, with the government's offer excluding items already admitted. Over the defense's position that Exhibit 620 was a demonstrative or chalk, the Court admitted its Boylston Street, camera-location, Scene A and Scene B portions.

On Day 31, De Lair continued her direct examination by identifying selected backpack pieces, a pressure-cooker part, wire, Fox-branded backpack material and debris including BBs and nails. Pellegrini used Exhibit 620 to connect these materials with scene and laboratory photographs. De Lair located the pressure-cooker part in front of the Forum and qualified the fragmentation classification as covering items that may have been used in the bomb.

Under cross-examination by Judy Clarke, De Lair acknowledged that she did not know whether the Q11 backpack had been submitted for fingerprint testing and could not determine that from its packaging. She explained that a Q number indicated laboratory entry and photography, rather than establishing a specific test. Initially unable to identify Q199 from a photograph, she said a closer view appeared to show cardboard with duct tape and explained possible laboratory repackaging and component numbering. She confirmed that Q199 was recovered outside Marathon Sports, while Q11 was recovered outside the Forum.