Todd Brown

Todd Brown testified for the prosecution on Day 30 about discovering pencil writing inside the Watertown boat during a search for explosive hazards after Tsarnaev had been removed. The Boston Police bomb technician described clearing suspicious packages after the Marathon bombings and entering the boat with another technician. He reported the writing immediately to an FBI agent and testified that blood had run over it after it was written.

Brown authenticated three photographs, Exhibits 826 through 828, and a three-page transcription, Exhibit 830, which were admitted without defense objection. Aloke Chakravarty read passages aloud, and Brown confirmed the readings. The writing referred to a brother, religious rewards, U.S. actions, and a claimed justification for killing innocent people. Those assertions belonged to the writing, not to Brown's personal beliefs or independent verification. Holes interrupted portions of the text; missing words were not supplied.

On cross-examination, David Bruck established that Brown had not seen Tsarnaev emerge and approached the boat about 15 minutes after his removal, give or take. Brown described apparent bullet holes going from outside inward and none appearing to go outward, as observations rather than expert ballistics conclusions. He also confirmed finding no explosives, gun, BB gun, or other weapon. The prosecution asked no further questions, and Brown was excused.