Commonwealth v. Read — Trial ArchiveJohn Tedman - Direct (Part 1)
102 linesJUDGE CANNONE: Okay. So, I know your lunches are here, but I think we'll — Mr. Yannetti, your next witness, please.
COURT CLERK: Oh, now you're going to step up, face the court, and raise your right hand. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
MR. TEDMAN: I do.
COURT CLERK: Thank you.
JUDGE CANNONE: All right. Good afternoon.
MR. TEDMAN: Good afternoon.
JUDGE CANNONE: Go ahead, Mr. Yannetti. Whenever you're ready.
MR. YANNETTI: Thank you. Good afternoon, sir. In a good loud voice, would you please state your name and spell your last name?
MR. TEDMAN: Sure. My name is John Tedman. It's T-E-D-M —
MR. YANNETTI: Do you work, sir?
MR. TEDMAN: I do.
MR. YANNETTI: What do you do for work?
MR. TEDMAN: I am a private investigator.
MR. YANNETTI: Do you work for someone else or do you have your own firm?
MR. TEDMAN: I have my own firm.
MR. YANNETTI: What is the name?
MR. TEDMAN: Forum Investigations. And that's F-O-R-U-M.
MR. YANNETTI: Correct. I'd like to ask you a little bit about your education and work history. You're from this area?
MR. TEDMAN: Yes. Boston proper. I'm sorry. Yes. From Boston.
MR. YANNETTI: Where did you attend high school?
MR. TEDMAN: The Roxbury Latin School.
MR. YANNETTI: When did you graduate?
MR. TEDMAN: 1996.
MR. YANNETTI: Where did you go to college?
MR. TEDMAN: I went to Princeton University.
MR. YANNETTI: What year did you graduate?
MR. TEDMAN: 2000.
MR. YANNETTI: What did you do after graduation from Princeton University?
MR. TEDMAN: I became a federal agent.
MR. YANNETTI: Where?
MR. TEDMAN: The agency or the location?
MR. YANNETTI: Oh, I meant the location. Sorry.
MR. TEDMAN: I started out in Los Angeles and then I was back in Boston.
MR. YANNETTI: And what years were you a federal agent in Boston and Los Angeles?
MR. TEDMAN: 2002 through 2008.
MR. YANNETTI: And what agency did you work for?
MR. TEDMAN: I worked for the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration, Office of Investigations.
MR. YANNETTI: And what type of work did you do in terms of investigations?
MR. TEDMAN: We did fraud investigations, identity theft, credit card fraud, fugitive operations, all sorts of things — anything involving a social security number, basically.
MR. YANNETTI: And why did you leave in 2008?
MR. TEDMAN: I went to law school.
MR. YANNETTI: Where?
MR. TEDMAN: Suffolk.
MR. YANNETTI: What year did you graduate from Suffolk Law School?
MR. TEDMAN: 2013.
MR. YANNETTI: And what did you do after graduation from Suffolk Law School?
MR. TEDMAN: I've had a small solo law practice and worked as a real estate broker.
MR. YANNETTI: And what type of law did you practice?
MR. TEDMAN: Mostly real estate law.
MR. YANNETTI: When did you start Forum Investigations?
MR. TEDMAN: In April of 2024.
MR. YANNETTI: Are you still practicing as a lawyer?
MR. TEDMAN: Not very much. No. I still have my license, my bar card, but I don't practice much.
MR. YANNETTI: All right. How did you become involved in this case?
MR. TEDMAN: I was contacted by somebody from your office last Tuesday, I believe the 3rd.
MR. YANNETTI: Okay. And was it explained to you why you were brought in at this late juncture?
MR. TEDMAN: Yes, it was explained that there was another investigator who had a health issue and would not be able to testify. So would I be able to help out with a small assignment?
MR. YANNETTI: All right. What were you asked to do?
MR. TEDMAN: I was asked to travel to 34 Fairview Road in Canton, and take some measurements and photographs.
MR. YANNETTI: Did you agree to do that?
MR. TEDMAN: Yes.
MR. YANNETTI: When did you go?
MR. TEDMAN: On June 3rd. I believe I arrived about 5:30 at 34 Fairview.
MR. YANNETTI: Okay. And when you say June 3rd, we are talking about last week, correct?
MR. TEDMAN: Yes. Last week. Yes.
MR. YANNETTI: Whom did you see when you got there?
MR. TEDMAN: One of the homeowners, an older gentleman, greeted me when I pulled in the driveway.
MR. YANNETTI: And it was not the Albert family, correct?
MR. TEDMAN: It was not.
MR. YANNETTI: Did that individual give you permission to enter onto the property?
MR. TEDMAN: He did.
MR. YANNETTI: What did you bring with you?
MR. TEDMAN: I brought an iPhone as a camera and I brought a wheeled measuring device.
MR. YANNETTI: Can you describe what a wheeled measuring device is?
MR. TEDMAN: Yeah, it's like a handle with two wheels at the bottom and in the middle there's like a little odometer that measures feet and inches.
MR. YANNETTI: And if we could — Mr. Woll, could we display the photo of the front of 34 Fairview that's already in evidence, with the court's permission?
JUDGE CANNONE: Yes.
MR. YANNETTI: And what exhibit number is that, Mr. Woll?
MR. YANNETTI: Do you see exhibit 46 on the screen, sir?
MR. TEDMAN: I do.
MR. YANNETTI: Do you recognize that?
MR. TEDMAN: I do.
MR. YANNETTI: What do you recognize that to be?
MR. TEDMAN: That is 34 Fairview Road in Canton.
MR. YANNETTI: When you got to 34 Fairview Road in Canton on June 3rd, did you make note of the various entrances to the residence from the front of the house?
MR. TEDMAN: I did.
MR. YANNETTI: Could you describe those for the jury?
MR. TEDMAN: Yes. On the left side, center of the building, there's what I would call the front door, up those four steps, I guess. Then if you were to look farther to the right, there at the end of the main building, there's another door, which I guess is the second front door or side door. And with regard to that door, is it fair to say that it faces outward, toward the road? It does. It faces directly towards the road.
MR. YANNETTI: Okay. Continue, please.
MR. TEDMAN: And then past that to the right there are the windows. And then if you can see the little red line, that is a side door that goes into the garage. Yes. Right there. It's been highlighted there. Yes.
MR. YANNETTI: Okay. And then there are obviously the two garage doors and the two garage car doors — four cars to enter.
MR. TEDMAN: Yes.
MR. YANNETTI: Okay. Mr. Woll, can you put the lights on? May I approach the witness, your honor?
JUDGE CANNONE: Yes.
MR. YANNETTI: Sir, I've placed a photograph in front of you. Can you identify that for the jury?
MR. TEDMAN: Yes, that appears to be a photograph that I took of the side front door, the secondary front door, the garage door, and the two car doors to the garage.
MR. YANNETTI: Okay. Particularly with regard to the side pedestrian entrance into the garage — the red door that you identified in the previous exhibit — does that photograph fairly and accurately represent the layout of the house in terms of the outside and the entrances that you've previously testified to?
MR. TEDMAN: Yes, it does.
MR. YANNETTI: I would offer that, your honor.
JUDGE CANNONE: All right. Can I see those, please, sir?
JUDGE CANNONE: Where is he? Okay, Mr. Woll, whenever you're ready, if you can display that portion. All right. Do you see what has been — so, I'm going to ask you to take that down, folks. We're going to take the lunch break at this point. Okay. Rise for the jury. Right this way, please.