2.Elizabeth Zamparelli — Direct/Cross
286 linesELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI, duly sworn
COURT CLERK: Have a seat. State your name, spell your first and last name for the record, keep your voice up and speak into the mic so everyone can hear you.
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Bett Zamparelli, B-E-T-T, or Elizabeth, Z-A-M-P-A-R-E-L-L-I.
DIRECT EXAMINATION BY MS. CONRAD:
MS. CONRAD: Good morning, Ms. Zamparelli.
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Good morning.
MS. CONRAD: Did you say you go by "Bett"?
MS. CONRAD: How old are you?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Twenty-two.
MS. CONRAD: And are you in school?
MS. CONRAD: Where?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: UMass Boston.
MS. CONRAD: What do you study?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Biology and psychology.
MS. CONRAD: And what year are you in?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Junior/senior. I transferred, so...
MS. CONRAD: In fact, do you have finals coming up next week?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: This week.
MS. CONRAD: Do you also work or have an internship?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Yes, I do.
MS. CONRAD: What do you do?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: I teach yoga now.
MS. CONRAD: Where did you grow up?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Cambridge.
MS. CONRAD: And where did you go to high school?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Cambridge Rindge and Latin.
MS. CONRAD: When did you graduate from Cambridge Rindge and Latin?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: 2011.
MS. CONRAD: And do you remember the date of your graduation?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: I want to say it was in May, early May.
MS. CONRAD: Let me just show you a document and see if that helps you remember.
MS. CONRAD: This is just for the witness, your Honor.
MS. CONRAD: Does that help you remember when graduation was?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Was it June 2nd or was that just when that was published?
MS. CONRAD: Well, why don't you just take a look at the document and just look down here, and then I'm going to show you a calendar for June of 2011. Okay? Take your time. Does that refresh your recollection?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Yeah, that sounds right.
MS. CONRAD: So was it June 2nd, 2011?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Probably.
MS. CONRAD: And was Jahar Tsarnaev one of your classmates?
MS. CONRAD: Were you friends?
MS. CONRAD: How did you and Jahar meet?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: We met in driver's ed. We had a few classes together.
MS. CONRAD: When did you take driver's ed?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Probably about sophomore year.
MS. CONRAD: And was there somebody else who you became friendly with during the course of that class, besides Jahar?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: At driver's ed?
MS. CONRAD: Yeah.
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: I guess Davin, when we were all doing our driving hours together.
MS. CONRAD: And you said you took some other classes with Jahar as well?
MS. CONRAD: What other classes did you take with him?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: I believe we had Spanish 2 together.
MS. CONRAD: Did you participate in any school activities together outside of class, like clubs or activities?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: We were both in Best Buddies.
MS. CONRAD: What's Best Buddies?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: It's a program that interacts high school kids with special needs kids.
MS. CONRAD: And what kinds of activities would the two of you participate in, in Best Buddies?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: There was like holiday parties where we would make gingerbread houses. There was proms and -- I didn't go to the prom. I'm not sure if he did, but...
MS. CONRAD: I'm sorry?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: There's just a bunch of events. I just went to a couple.
MS. CONRAD: I just missed what you said about the Best Buddies prom.
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Oh, I said that there is one. I don't know if he went. I wasn't able to attend it.
MS. CONRAD: Was that something you got credit for?
MS. CONRAD: Are you aware of any other activities that Jahar was involved in, in terms of school-related events?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: He wrestled.
MS. CONRAD: Did you also know at some point whether he got a job someplace?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: He lifeguarded.
MS. CONRAD: Where was that?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: The Harvard pool.
MS. CONRAD: What was your relationship like with Jahar -- well, did you maintain a friendship with him from sophomore through senior year?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Yeah.
MS. CONRAD: And what was your relationship like?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: I thought we were relatively close.
MS. CONRAD: Friends?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Yeah.
MS. CONRAD: Just friends?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: (Nonverbal response.)
MS. CONRAD: Did you ever go to his house?
MS. CONRAD: Did you ever think that was odd?
MS. CONRAD: What kinds of things would the two of you do together?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Just hang out, just laugh. I don't know. Just talk about stuff.
MS. CONRAD: What was he like?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Very caring.
MS. CONRAD: Did you have an easy time in high school?
MS. CONRAD: And did you confide your problems in Jahar?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Not necessarily, but I talked to him when I was going through a lot of problems and --
MS. CONRAD: And how would he -- how would that -- how would he respond?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Like a friend. He didn't pry. He knew that it was upsetting to me.
MS. CONRAD: And would he do anything that would make you feel better?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Just make me laugh.
MS. CONRAD: And when you were feeling down, what effect would spending time with Jahar have on you?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Make me feel good.
MS. CONRAD: Did you keep in touch after high school?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Every now and then.
MS. CONRAD: Was that mostly online?
MS. CONRAD: During the time that you knew Jahar in high school, did you ever see him argue with anyone?
MS. CONRAD: Did you ever see him fight with anyone?
MS. CONRAD: Was he somebody -- can you think of any -- what was his sense of humor like?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: A little sarcastic but not mean sarcastic, just...
MS. CONRAD: How would he treat girls?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Really nicely, actually.
MS. CONRAD: In what way?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: He didn't demoralize them or demean them.
MS. CONRAD: Did he ever talk about the future?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Probably.
MS. CONRAD: Do you remember anything about what his plans were, what he said his plans were?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: I know that he was going to go to UMass Dartmouth. I think we might have talked about being an engineer, but I'm not sure if I recall.
MS. CONRAD: Did he ever talk about politics?
MS. CONRAD: Religion?
MS. CONRAD: Did you know he was Muslim?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Yeah.
MS. CONRAD: Did you ever meet his parents?
MS. CONRAD: What about -- you went to graduation?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Yeah.
MS. CONRAD: He went to graduation?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Yeah.
MS. CONRAD: And you don't remember meeting his parents at graduation?
MS. CONRAD: Did you know his sisters?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: I knew of them; I didn't know them personally.
MS. CONRAD: What about Tamerlan, his older brother?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: I knew him through a friend, so...
MS. CONRAD: So --
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Not really directly.
MS. CONRAD: Can you tell us a little bit more about that? When did you meet Tamerlan?
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Objection, your Honor. It's open-ended, and there's a lot of potential hearsay here.
MS. CONRAD: I asked when she met Tamerlan.
THE COURT: You may have it.
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: I met him.
BY MS. CONRAD:
MS. CONRAD: I'm sorry? Do you remember when you met him?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Maybe junior year of high school.
MS. CONRAD: And how did that come about?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: I was at an ex-boyfriend's house, and he was at a friend's house across the street.
MS. CONRAD: Who was the friend across the street?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Brendan Mess.
MS. CONRAD: And who was the ex-boyfriend?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Sam Cuddy.
MS. CONRAD: So what happened when you met Tamerlan?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Not much. I was a lot younger than them, so it was just kind of like they were interacting, and I was kind of out of place. But that's just kind of how it goes.
MS. CONRAD: So this was actually at Brendan's house or at your ex-boyfriend's house?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: It was like in between the two. They live across the street from each other, so it was like on the sidewalk.
MS. CONRAD: So was Brendan there?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Yeah.
MS. CONRAD: So you met Brendan?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Yeah.
MS. CONRAD: And what was Tamerlan like?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: He was comfortable with his friends. I don't know. Like, "What up, Doogie?" I don't know. I was a little intimidated. I mean, I was a lot younger than they were.
MS. CONRAD: Intimidated by Tamerlan?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: I mean, yeah, but the situation in general just because -- I don't know -- it wasn't my crew of people and --
MS. CONRAD: Had you heard anything about Tamerlan from Jahar or from your other friends?
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Objection, your Honor.
THE COURT: Sustained.
BY MS. CONRAD:
MS. CONRAD: Do you know what happened to Brendan?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: He was murdered --
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Objection.
THE COURT: Sustained.
BY MS. CONRAD:
MS. CONRAD: Do you know from your ex-boyfriend whether Tamerlan went to the funeral?
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Objection, your Honor.
THE COURT: Sustained. This area.
BY MS. CONRAD:
MS. CONRAD: When -- after the Boston Marathon bombing occurred and the pictures were shown of the suspect, did your sister call you?
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Objection to relevance, anything post bombing.
THE COURT: Yes, sustained.
BY MS. CONRAD:
MS. CONRAD: Did someone say to you that they thought one of the --
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Objection, your Honor.
THE COURT: Sustained.
MS. CONRAD: It's for state of mind, your Honor.
THE COURT: Sorry?
MS. CONRAD: It's for state of mind.
THE COURT: Sustained.
BY MS. CONRAD:
MS. CONRAD: Did you think one of the photographs looked like Jahar?
MS. CONRAD: But did you think it was Jahar?
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Objection, your Honor.
THE COURT: Overruled.
You may answer that.
BY MS. CONRAD:
MS. CONRAD: Why not?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Just none of us thought it could be. It was like a joke, almost.
MS. CONRAD: You thought the marathon bombing was a joke?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: No, not at all.
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Objection, your Honor.
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: The fact that it could be him.
THE COURT: Overruled.
BY MS. CONRAD:
MS. CONRAD: I'm sorry?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: The idea that it could be him.
MS. CONRAD: Why?
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Objection.
THE COURT: Overruled.
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Because it just was very much not who my friends and I knew him to be.
MS. CONRAD: I don't have anything further for this witness.
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Very briefly.
CROSS-EXAMINATION BY MR. CHAKRAVARTY:
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Ms. Zamparelli, you graduated with the defendant?
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: You were about six years younger than Tamerlan and his friends when you met him?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Probably something like that, yes.
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: And you met him, what, one time?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: No, we've crossed paths a few times.
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Okay. But you didn't really engage with him, correct?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: I mean, we'd be in the same conversations. It would be with a group of people, though.
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Okay. You knew the defendant's friends from Cambridge Rindge and Latin, correct?
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Davin Zimble, for example, he's one of your friends?
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: You knew the Silva brothers. Those were some of his very good friends?
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Would you guys hang out together?
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: And you knew that they would smoke pot and deal pot as well?
MS. CONRAD: Objection, your Honor.
THE COURT: Sustained.
BY MR. CHAKRAVARTY:
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Did you know the basis of his relationship with all of those people?
MS. CONRAD: Objection.
THE COURT: Sustained.
BY MR. CHAKRAVARTY:
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: When you would hang out with them, would you smoke together?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Maybe once or twice.
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: You've only smoked once or twice?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: No, with them.
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Okay. You knew that the Silvas were very close with the defendant, correct?
MS. CONRAD: Objection.
THE COURT: Sustained.
BY MR. CHAKRAVARTY:
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Your relationship with the defendant was a friendly one, right?
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: And he was pretty socially well adjusted?
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: And he was friends with you as well as a bunch of other people; he wasn't part of a particular clique, correct?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Yeah.
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: I mean, he had his core group of friends, but not --
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Yeah.
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: -- but he also was able to transfer between a bunch of different groups, right?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Yeah. That's pretty much how Rindge goes, though.
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: And you didn't know anything about his -- the depth of his religious beliefs or his political beliefs, correct?
MS. CONRAD: Objection.
THE COURT: Overruled.
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: I mean, religious beliefs, I absolutely knew about them. Political beliefs, I guess we just never really talked about it. I don't think he was secretive of it. That's just not...
BY MR. CHAKRAVARTY:
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: When you say his religious beliefs, you absolutely knew about them, you mean you absolutely knew that he was Muslim?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Yeah.
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: He was proud of being a Muslim. That's something that Rindge celebrates, right?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Yeah, being who you are.
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: And he was a self-contained person. He was confident. He was able to talk to you and other women respectfully?
MS. CONRAD: Objection. Compound question.
THE COURT: You may answer it.
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: I'm sorry?
BY MR. CHAKRAVARTY:
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: You may answer the question. Did you understand the question?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Can you repeat it, please?
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: Sure. He was a confident person. He was able to treat people with respect and be confident in who he was?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Sure.
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: You respected him for that?
ELIZABETH ZAMPARELLI: Yeah.
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: And when he went away to college, you had less contact with him, correct?
MR. CHAKRAVARTY: That's all I have, your Honor.
THE COURT: Anything else?
MS. CONRAD: No. Thank you very much.
THE COURT: All right, Ms. Zamparelli. Thank you. You may step down.
(The witness is excused.)
MR. WEINREB: Your Honor, can we approach?
THE COURT: Okay.