11.Matthew Isgur — Direct
284 linesMATTHEW ISGUR, duly sworn
COURT CLERK: State your name and spell your last my name for the record, keep your voice up and speak into the mic.
MATTHEW ISGUR: Matthew Isgur I-S-G-U-R.
DIRECT EXAMINATION BY MR. WEINREB:
MR. WEINREB: Good afternoon. Where do you work?
MATTHEW ISGUR: MIT.
MR. WEINREB: What's your job there?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I maintain the video surveillance system.
MR. WEINREB: How long have you had that job?
MATTHEW ISGUR: About six years now.
MR. WEINREB: What are your job responsibilities?
MATTHEW ISGUR: To manage the system, to order new cameras, repair and maintain the current ones.
MR. WEINREB: Does MIT have a number of cameras?
MATTHEW ISGUR: We do, about 1,200 of them.
MR. WEINREB: Are you familiar with all of them?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I am, yeah.
MR. WEINREB: Could you pull that a little closer because I'm having a little trouble hearing you. Thanks. In the course of your work, do you look at the video that's taken by MIT surveillance cameras?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I do.
MR. WEINREB: Frequently?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Whenever we have an investigation, yes.
MR. WEINREB: Do the cameras make fair and accurate recordings of the things that they're pointed at?
MATTHEW ISGUR: They do.
MR. WEINREB: Do these recordings have date and timestamps on them?
MATTHEW ISGUR: They do.
MR. WEINREB: Are those accurate?
MATTHEW ISGUR: They are.
MR. WEINREB: Are you familiar with the layout of the MIT campus?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Yes.
MR. WEINREB: Are you familiar with the locations of each of the MIT surveillance cameras at all the different locations?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I am.
MR. WEINREB: Could we have Exhibit 680, please.
MR. WEINREB: If you'll look at the screen in front of you, do you recognize what's pictured there?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Yup. This is North Court on MIT's campus.
MR. WEINREB: What's the building at the top of the frame that we're looking directly at?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That's the Koch building, Building 76.
MR. WEINREB: The building to the left of the frame?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That's the Stata Center, Building 32.
MR. WEINREB: Do you know where these photos were taken from?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I do.
MR. WEINREB: Where?
MATTHEW ISGUR: From a camera on the rooftop of Building 54, which is MIT's green building.
MR. WEINREB: Can we have Exhibit 721 for the witness, please.
MR. WEINREB: Do you recognize that?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I do.
MR. WEINREB: Is that a fair and accurate photo?
MATTHEW ISGUR: It is.
MR. WEINREB: The government offers Exhibit 721.
MR. WATKINS: No objection.
THE COURT: Okay.
(Government Exhibit No. 721 received into evidence.)
BY MR. WEINREB:
MR. WEINREB: What's that building in the distance?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That is Building 54.
MR. WEINREB: The path that occupies most of the right-hand part of the screen that's leading towards it appears to go by a courtyard. What courtyard is that?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That's MIT's North Court.
MR. WEINREB: So that's what we were just looking at?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Correct.
MR. WEINREB: And where is the Koch Institute?
MATTHEW ISGUR: The Koch Institute is to our left.
MR. WEINREB: That's the building, we can just see the corner of it there on our left?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Correct.
MR. WEINREB: And to the right we see a piece of the Stata Center?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That's correct.
MR. WEINREB: The screen in front of you is touch sensitive so that if you just touch it you'll create an arrow and if you move your finger you can create a circle. Can you circle where the camera is on Building 54?
MATTHEW ISGUR: (Witness complies.)
MR. WEINREB: And it points down towards the courtyard?
MATTHEW ISGUR: It does.
MR. WEINREB: Exhibit 722, please.
MR. WEINREB: This is an exhibit that makes it possible to create a 360-degree view of the area. Do you recall seeing this photo before?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I do.
MR. WEINREB: And is it a fair and accurate depiction of what's in it?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Yes.
MR. WEINREB: The government offers Exhibit 722.
MR. WATKINS: No objection.
THE COURT: Okay.
(Government Exhibit No. 722 received into evidence.)
MR. WEINREB: If we could publish that.
BY MR. WEINREB:
MR. WEINREB: So what's pictured in this image right now the way -- in the direction we're looking at it?
MATTHEW ISGUR: This is also in North Court.
MR. WEINREB: Is that the Koch Institute on our left?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Yes.
MR. WEINREB: And then as I turn the camera, are we now -- as we zoom around, is that the North Court?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Correct.
MR. WEINREB: And that's -- and Building 54, is that visible?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That's correct.
MR. WEINREB: And moving in the other direction, what's down at the end of that path?
MATTHEW ISGUR: So that's the corner of, I believe, Main and Vassar.
MR. WEINREB: And if we keep panning around?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Yeah, that's Main and Vassar.
MR. WEINREB: Okay.
MATTHEW ISGUR: And this is the Stata Center.
MR. WEINREB: Okay. And we're going to come fully around. And that's Building 54 again?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Uh-huh.
MR. WEINREB: On April 18th, 2013, did you assist in the Sean Collier murder investigation?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I did.
MR. WEINREB: How did that come about?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I was called in by Deputy Chief Jay Perault, and when I got on-scene I reviewed the footage from this camera, Building 54.
MR. WEINREB: Were you asked to pull footage for a particular time period?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I was, between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.
MR. WEINREB: Did you review a -- recently review a composite of that video?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I did.
MR. WEINREB: Okay. And that essentially consists of segments of the full hour of video that you pulled. And that points -- a segment plays and then it skips ahead in time to another segment. Is that correct?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That's correct.
MR. WEINREB: And there's a text indication on the screen as to what time it's stopping and what time it's starting up again?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Correct.
MR. WEINREB: Is that a fair and accurate composite of the surveillance video that you pulled on that evening?
MATTHEW ISGUR: It is.
MR. WEINREB: Could we -- that's Exhibit 723, your Honor, and the government offers it at this time.
MR. WATKINS: No objection.
THE COURT: Okay.
(Government Exhibit No. 723 received into evidence.)
MR. WEINREB: I would like to play that.
Actually, your Honor, can we pause for one moment? We need to bring out the screen.
(Pause.)
BY MR. WEINREB:
MR. WEINREB: So right now the screen is frozen on April 18, 2013, at 10:16 p.m. Is that correct?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That is correct.
(Video played.)
MR. WEINREB: Now, for the record, what's showing here on the left-hand portion of the screen?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That's Sean Collier in his police cruiser.
MR. WEINREB: Where is the car located -- it's come to a spot. Where is it that it's located?
MATTHEW ISGUR: The car is located on the Main and Vassar point of North Court, so in between Koch and Stata.
MR. WEINREB: And that was at 10:16:50, correct?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Correct.
MR. WEINREB: And what does the screen indicate now, about what time?
MATTHEW ISGUR: 10:23 p.m.
MR. WEINREB: Is the car still there?
MATTHEW ISGUR: It is.
MR. WEINREB: Now, I'm just going to pause for a second. Do you see on the right-hand portion of this screen a yellow circle has appeared?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I do.
MR. WEINREB: That's not in the original, right?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Correct.
MR. WEINREB: But that's been added to highlight an image, correct?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That's correct.
MR. WEINREB: And what's inside the circle?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Two individuals entering from the Main and Ames corner.
MR. WEINREB: And that's on the right-hand of the screen?
MATTHEW ISGUR: It is.
(Video played.)
MR. WEINREB: So for the record, the individuals have rounded the corner. And then does it appear that the brake lights of the car have come on?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That's correct.
(Video played.)
MR. WEINREB: Again, for the record, does it appear that the individuals are now going back the same way they came?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Correct.
(Video played.)
MR. WEINREB: Have the individuals now left the screen entirely?
MATTHEW ISGUR: They have.
MR. WEINREB: And what time is it on the video?
MATTHEW ISGUR: It's 10:26 p.m.
MR. WEINREB: And it indicates here we've now moved ahead four minutes, to 10:30. Is that correct?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That's correct.
MR. WEINREB: And does it appear somebody has emerged from the left-hand side of the screen and walked over to the door? Were you able to see that? Here, let me run it some more. Do you see a figure moving now around the car?
MATTHEW ISGUR: It's a little dark, what I'm looking at.
(Video played.)
MATTHEW ISGUR: Yes, I see it now.
(Video played.)
MR. WEINREB: In addition to viewing this video, did you also view a shorter segment of this video that was essentially a close-up version?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I did.
MR. WEINREB: And is that a fair and accurate copy, except that it's a close-up?
MATTHEW ISGUR: It is.
MR. WEINREB: That's Exhibit 724, your Honor. The government asks to admit it now and to publish it.
MR. WATKINS: No objection.
THE COURT: Okay.
(Government Exhibit No. 724 received into evidence.)
BY MR. WEINREB:
MR. WEINREB: Just so we're all oriented, do you see Sean Collier's car?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Yes.
MR. WEINREB: Where is it?
MATTHEW ISGUR: It's in the left pane.
MR. WEINREB: That's in -- is it fair to say it's near the center of the larger image --
MATTHEW ISGUR: Yes.
MR. WEINREB: -- near the top of the screen?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Yes.
MR. WEINREB: Okay. And then in the lower right-hand pane -- it might be easier to see what that is when we start playing it, okay? So let me focus your attention now to the lower right-hand pane. Do you see those two figures --
MATTHEW ISGUR: I do.
MR. WEINREB: -- walking there?
(Video played.)
MR. WEINREB: Mr. Isgur, were there any other cameras in the area of the Koch Institute that would have captured what happened where Sean Collier's cruiser is at that time?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Not at that position, no.
MR. WEINREB: Could I have Exhibit 719 for the witness, please? Let's have, actually, 683 for the witness.
MR. WEINREB: Do you recognize this diagram?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I do.
MR. WEINREB: What is it a diagram of?
MATTHEW ISGUR: This is a diagram of the North Court area on MIT's campus.
MR. WEINREB: Is it fair and accurate?
MATTHEW ISGUR: It is.
MR. WEINREB: The government offers 683.
MR. WATKINS: No objection.
THE COURT: Okay.
(Government Exhibit No. 682 received into evidence.)
BY MR. WEINREB:
MR. WEINREB: Can you circle in this where Sean Collier's cruiser was parked that evening?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Uh-huh.
MR. WEINREB: And then can you also trace with your finger the path that the two figures took to get to the car?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Sure.
MR. WEINREB: And you testified earlier they retreated along the same path according to the video surveillance?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That's right.
MR. WEINREB: So what street would they have wound up on on the right-hand side?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Ames Street.
MR. WEINREB: Could I have Exhibit 682 for the witness, please.
I believe 682 is already in evidence.
THE COURT: I think it is, yes.
MR. WEINREB: So if I could actually have it for the jury as well.
BY MR. WEINREB:
MR. WEINREB: In this exhibit do you see Ames Street there?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I do.
MR. WEINREB: Now, please follow Ames Street south from the point where it meets -- or it essentially meets the Koch Institute. And as you go south, do you see a building that comes to a point and is essentially pointed at Ames Street?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Right here.
MR. WEINREB: Could you circle it, please?
MATTHEW ISGUR: (Witness complies.)
MR. WEINREB: Do you also see a piece of a building that is across the street from that building and a little lower than it?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I do.
MR. WEINREB: Is there a surveillance camera on that building that points directly at the point of that pointy building?
MATTHEW ISGUR: There is.
MR. WEINREB: Could I have Exhibit 1461?
MR. WEINREB: Do you recognize this?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I do.
MR. WEINREB: What is that a picture of?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That's the crosswalk between E15 media lab and Building 66.
MR. WEINREB: Is that Ames Street?
MATTHEW ISGUR: It is.
MR. WEINREB: The building that's right in the middle of that photo, is that the point of the pointy building?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Uh-huh.
MR. WEINREB: You have to say yes or no.
MATTHEW ISGUR: Yes.
MR. WEINREB: Okay. Did you review this along with a series of other photos that essentially depict a 180-degree sweep around from that pointy building to the other building you identified having the camera on it?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That's correct.
MR. WEINREB: And were they all fair and accurate photos of what they depict?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Yes.
MR. WEINREB: Your Honor, those are Exhibits 1461 through 1465. The government would offer those at this time.
MR. WATKINS: No objection.
THE COURT: Okay.
(Government Exhibit No. 1461 through 1465 received into evidence.)
MR. WEINREB: So if we could start by publishing 1461 to the jury.
BY MR. WEINREB:
MR. WEINREB: So, again, the point in between what appear to be two Dumpsters, that's the point of that pointy building?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Correct.
MR. WEINREB: And 1462.
MR. WEINREB: And now we've essentially -- if that were a clock and we were facing 12, what direction are we now facing in?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Eleven o'clock.
MR. WEINREB: So we've turned sort of -- started turning counterclockwise?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Correct.
MR. WEINREB: And the street we're seeing now fully, what street is that?
MATTHEW ISGUR: This is Ames Street.
MR. WEINREB: 1463, please.
(Pause.)
MR. WEINREB: Let's try 1464.
MR. WEINREB: What building is that?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That is E15, the media lab.
MR. WEINREB: And is that the building that was across the street from the pointy building?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Correct.
MR. WEINREB: 1465, please.
MR. WEINREB: Is that a -- in the -- near the roof line of that building, do you see something?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I do.
MR. WEINREB: What is it?
MATTHEW ISGUR: That's a camera.
MR. WEINREB: Could you circle it, please?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Sure.
MR. WEINREB: And is that camera pointed essentially right at the point of that pointy building?
MATTHEW ISGUR: It is.
MR. WEINREB: Were you asked to pull video surveillance footage from that camera?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I was.
MR. WEINREB: 1466 just for the witness, please.
MR. WEINREB: Do you recognize this?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I do.
MR. WEINREB: What is it?
MATTHEW ISGUR: This is a video we pulled of the -- of a car fleeing Ames Street.
MR. WEINREB: And that's, according to the date and timestamp, on April 18th, 2013, at -- looking where the player controls are -- 10:26 p.m.?
MATTHEW ISGUR: Correct.
MR. WEINREB: And did you also pull video from that same camera exactly a week later at approximately the same time?
MATTHEW ISGUR: I did.
MR. WEINREB: Were both of those videos fair and accurate videos of what the camera was pointed at at the respective times?
MATTHEW ISGUR: They are.
MR. WEINREB: The government offers 1466 and 1467.
MR. WATKINS: No objection.
THE COURT: All right.
(Government Exhibit Nos. 1466 and 1467 received into evidence.)
MR. WEINREB: But we do not intend to publish those at this time.
THE COURT: Okay.
MR. WEINREB: Thank you, Mr. Isgur. No further questions.
MATTHEW ISGUR: Thanks.
MR. WATKINS: Nothing, your Honor.
THE COURT: All right, Mr. Isgur. Thank you. You may step down.
(The witness is excused.)
MR. WEINREB: Your Honor, the government calls Nate Harman.