Skip to content
personpersonTarana KhanTarana KhanDefense private investigator who testified about her January 2025 jail interview with Patricia Byrd, including what Byrd told her and how Khan documented it.← All People
Witness

Tarana Khan

Courtroom still of Tarana Khan.

Defense private investigator who testified about her January 2025 jail interview with Patricia Byrd, including what Byrd told her and how Khan documented it.

52 lines·3 proceedings

About

Tarana Khan testified for the defense on Day 7 about interviewing Patricia Byrd in jail as a private investigator.

On cross-examination, Khan said defense counsel had given her a list of people to interview. She explained that the Byrd interview was not recorded because she had not been asked to record it. She acknowledged that permission potentially could have been sought to bring recording equipment into the jail, but she had not sought such permission.

On redirect, Khan said she took handwritten notes during the interview. She agreed that the notes could have been produced through discovery if the State had requested them. The court then released her subject to recall.

Trial Record (3)

DADonna AdelsonAug 22, 2025 – Sep 4, 2025Called by defense

Tarana Khan, a private investigator called by the defense, testified on Day 7 about her jail interview with Patricia Byrd and how she documented it.

Day 7

CrossTarana Khan - CrossTarana KhanSarah Kathryn Dugan2highlights14lines spoken

Summary

Khan said her unrecorded jail interview with Ms. Byrd was conducted at defense counsel's direction and without a request to record it.

Highlights (2)

testimony highlightKhan testified that defense counsel gave her a list of people to interview and that she did not record her interview with Ms. Byrd because she was not asked to do so.Open in transcript →Watch this moment ▶
testimony highlightKhan said a recorder could have been taken into the jail if permission had been requested, but she did not ask for permission; she agreed that jails typically allow recording with permission.Open in transcript →Watch this moment ▶
RedirectTarana Khan - RedirectTarana KhanJoshua D. Zelman2highlights3lines spoken

Summary

Khan said she took handwritten notes during her interview with Ms. Byrd and could have produced them through discovery.

Highlights (2)

Quote“As I was speaking with them, I wrote everything down that they said -- that they were saying to me. So I did pen and paper.”— Tarana KhanKhan explained how she documented the unrecorded interview.Open in transcript →Watch this moment ▶