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Dzhokhar Tsarnaev— Case Archive
2015 Federal TrialtranscripttranscriptAbderrazak Razak — Direct/Cross - Day 53 - 2015 Federal TrialAbderrazak Razak recalls Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s objection to Thanksgiving turkey sales. Cross-examination establishes Razak’s limited acquaintance with Tamerlan and that he had never met Dzhokhar.
William D. WeinrebWilliam W. FickTimothy G. WatkinsGeorge A. O'Toole Jr.Abderrazak RazakCourt ClerkAbderrazak RazakMR. FICKInterpreterMR. WEINREBTHE COURTMR. WATKINSdirectcross
2015 Federal Trial/Day 53/April 27, 2015
12 pages·8 witnesses·2,401 lines
The defense sought life imprisonment in its opening and presented testimony about Tamerlan's behavior, family relationships, and digital records. Cross-examination explored witnesses' limited knowledge of Dzhokhar and the brothers' relationship.
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DirectCross

7.Abderrazak Razak — Direct/Cross

William D. Weinreb William W. Fick Abderrazak Razak
91 lines
DirectDirectDirect Examination - Abderrazak Razak Abderrazak Razak William W. Fick
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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK, duly sworn

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COURT CLERK: Be seated.

State your name.

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Abderrazak Razak.

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DIRECT EXAMINATION BY MR. FICK:

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MR. FICK: Mr. Razak, can you please just state your name and spell your last name for the record?

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Okay. Abderrazak Razak, and my last name, it's R-A-Z-A-K.

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MR. FICK: And perhaps for the court reporter, maybe we'll ask you to spell your first name too, I think, in this instance. Thank you.

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Okay. First name? A-B-D-E-R-R-A-Z-A-K.

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MR. FICK: Thank you. Good morning, Mr. Razak.

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Good morning.

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MR. FICK: And I'm going to suggest that maybe we start in English and use the interpreter as a backup, if that's okay with you.

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Just to make -- I'm not excellent in English, and I'm not stupid in English, so I'm going to do my best.

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MR. FICK: Thank you.

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Because I'm in very, very serious situation. So if I don't understand something, I'm going to ask my friend here to help me. Thank you.

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MR. FICK: Thank you, Mr. Razak. I appreciate that very much.

How old are you, sir?

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Thirty-two years.

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MR. FICK: And what is your educational background?

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Okay. I finish my college in Morocco back home, in law, public law.

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MR. FICK: And, I'm sorry. You said Morocco?

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MR. FICK: Okay. And that's where you're from originally?

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MR. FICK: Do you live in the Boston area now?

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Yeah. I live in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

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MR. FICK: And how long have you lived in the Boston area?

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Okay. I'm here close to six years.

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MR. FICK: And do you have a family here?

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MR. FICK: How are you currently employed?

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MR. FICK: How are you currently employed?

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Now I work in Al-Bara, on 304 Prospect Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

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MR. FICK: And is that a sort of Middle Eastern food and halal meat store in Cambridge?

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Yes. Yes. Yes.

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MR. FICK: How long have you been working there?

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: So I work in there -- it's almost five years, but sometimes I left and I came back, so almost five years, yeah.

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MR. FICK: Now, while you were working in that store, did you occasionally see a person who you later learned was named Tamerlan Tsarnaev?

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(The interpreter translates the question.)

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MR. FICK: Do you recall a particular incident with Tamerlan Tsarnaev in the fall of 2012 where he -- well, do you recall an incident from the fall of 2012?

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(The interpreter translates the question.)

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Yes, an important event.

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MR. FICK: And can you describe, please, what was that important event?

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Okay. I'm going to try with English. If not, I'm going to -- okay.

So he's a customer of the store, so I see him over there in the store. So probably three or four, five time. Okay? But the time that I can remember 100 percent, so a time when it's Thanksgiving. So we -- and we have a sign in the show, so we put a sign that we sell halal turkey for Thanksgiving. Okay? So when he's come in the store, so he was try to buy some stuff, and he see the sign, so he ask me, "Why you sell the turkey?" So I told him because this is at Thanksgiving.

I'm going to use him. Sorry.

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MR. FICK: That's fine.

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(The interpreter translates the question.)

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: He yelled at me, and he said, "This is haram, which is not right to sell turkeys." And he was so nervous and spoken very loudly using hand gestures too.

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MR. FICK: I'm sorry. Hand gesture?

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INTERPRETER: Hand gestures.

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(The interpreter translates the question.)

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: And he said, "You shouldn't be selling this. That's not right."

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MR. FICK: Can you sort of demonstrate the hand gestures he used and what his face looked like?

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(The interpreter translates the question.)

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: So he's standing like that, and the show, it's in the front of him, and he use his hand exactly -- he show me, for example, the paper, why you put the sign here, so like that. He's using his hands like that. (Indicating.)

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MR. FICK: And what kind of expression is on his face?

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MR. FICK: And just so everyone understands, can you explain, what is halal meat?

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Halal meat? So the halal meat, it's -- for example, the -- it's the Islamic way to slaughter the animal. So we have to use the knife -- okay. For example, there's another way here, for example, you use the gun, and the only one -- it's gun, so you going to skin the animals and serve it to eat.

But for our way, for the Islamic way, so you have to use the knife, and you have -- before you slice the animal, you have to say "Allahu Akbar," name of God. That's halal meat.

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MR. FICK: So these were halal turkeys that you were selling?

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MR. FICK: And, nevertheless, Tamerlan Tsarnaev did what you just described?

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Yeah. So it's -- in America, it's -- Islamic society, so even -- they live in America, so they want to celebrate turkey [sic], so automatically we try to provide halal turkey for them.

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MR. FICK: Thank you, Mr. Razak. I have nothing further.

CrossCrossCross-Examination - Abderrazak Razak Abderrazak Razak William D. Weinreb
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CROSS-EXAMINATION BY MR. WEINREB:

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MR. WEINREB: Good morning, Mr. Razak.

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Good morning.

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MR. WEINREB: In all the time you were working at the store, you only saw Tamerlan Tsarnaev three or four times, correct?

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: Yeah. Or four times.

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MR. WEINREB: And you only saw him because he was shopping for food at your store?

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MR. WEINREB: You didn't know him personally?

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(The interpreter translates the question.)

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MR. WEINREB: You didn't even know his name?

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(The interpreter translates the question.)

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MR. WEINREB: So you know virtually nothing about him?

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(The interpreter translates the question.)

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MR. WEINREB: And you never met his brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev?

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(The interpreter translates the question.)

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MR. WEINREB: So you know absolutely nothing about Dzhokhar Tsarnaev?

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ABDERRAZAK RAZAK: No, I just see him in the news after the bombing. That's it.

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MR. WEINREB: Okay. So really, all you can tell us is that one day in 2012 Tamerlan Tsarnaev told you that Thanksgiving isn't a Muslim holiday and you shouldn't sell turkey?

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MR. WEINREB: No further questions, your Honor.

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MR. FICK: Nothing further, your Honor.

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THE COURT: All right, Mr. Razak. Thank you. You may step down.

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(The witness is excused.)

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MR. WATKINS: The defendant calls Robbie Barnes.

Continue to next page8.Robert Barnes — Direct/Cross
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