For the first time in more than a year, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the accused Boston Marathon bomber, appeared in public on Thursday. The 21-year-old former University of Massachusetts student was in federal court in Boston for a status hearing, before his trial begins in January. While cameras are not allowed in the courtroom, a courtroom artist did make a sketch of him.
Though he is permitted visits from his family members and legal team, Tsarnaev has been in solitary confinement for the majority of the time since his arrest in April 2013. “Contrary to Tsarnaev's claim…there is nothing speculative about his ability to inspire others through his words in light of his past deeds," prosecutors argued in a legal brief obtained by Politico.
Tsarnaev is facing 30 federal charges, including using a weapon of mass destruction. Federal prosecutors say that he and his older brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, planted two pressure-cooker bombs that killed three people and injured hundreds during the 2013 Boston Marathon. He has pled not guilty to all of the charges. If convicted, he could received the death penalty.
Tensions are already high in Boston. A group of survivors gathered outside of the courthouse on Thursday, while nearby a group of people who say Tsarnaev is innocent rallied in his defense. At one point, Marc Fucarile, who lost his a limb in the attack, reportedly confronted the supporters, raising his prosthetic leg in their direction. “That's trickery?” he said.
Because of the charged atmosphere, Tsarnaev’s legal team has argued that the trial should be moved out of state, saying their client would not get a fair shake. A federal judge rejected this request, but a defense motion is still pending.
