Tsaranev: Former roommate of Katherine Russell’s takes stand

A former roommate of Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s wife was called as the 31st defense witness in the penalty phase for convicted bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Amanda Ransom of Providence described Katherine Russell and Tamerlan’s relationship as rocky saying she believed the elder bomber was emotionally abusing Katherine.

Ransom told jurors that Tamerlan once told Katherine he had AIDS as a sort of prank.

She also spoke of a fight between the couple in 2009 where Tamerlan ended up threatening Ransom when she tried to help.

Ransom told the jury that Tamerlan screamed at her saying, “If I ever see you again…”

After that, Ransom fled in the middle of the night.

A high school classmate of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s was next up on the stand.

Elizabeth Zamparelli told jurors after seeing the brothers pictures following the 2013 bombings, “We thought it was a joke, the idea that it could be him.”

A psychiatrist who treated Tsarnaev’s dad from 2003 to 2005 testified that he suffered from severe PTSD.

That doctor told jurors that Anzor Tsarnaev had been tortured during the Russian-Chechen war in the 1990s.

Others on the stand Tuesday included, a Russian studies professor, a former coach of Tsarnaev’s, another high school classmate and a Russian bookstore owner.

(C) WLNE 2015