Death Penalty Phase of Boston Marathon Bomber Trial Nearing Completion
The death penalty phase of the Boston Marathon bomber trial is coming to a close. As the Boston Globe reports, jurors in the death penalty phase of the trial of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who previously was found guilty for his role in the 2013 bombing, “have learned plenty over the past two weeks about jihad and Chechen history. They have seen photos of the conservative Muslim attire of Tsarnaev’s once-stylish mother and ex-boxing brother. They’ve seen images of young Tsarnaev holding a newborn and playing with a friend’s dog. But still, the main character in the drama that has been unfolding at the federal courthouse since early March remains inscrutable. More than 40 defense witnesses have painted a portrait of his emotionally volatile immigrant family grasping for livelihoods and identities. However, it remains unclear just how this family caused Tsarnaev — portrayed as smart, kind, and studious in high school — to throw away his college ambitions and take the radical measure of joining his older brother in a deadly bombing mission at the 2013 Boston Marathon.”
Most important, trial observers say that it remains unclear whether Tsarnaev is remorseful.
Tsarnaev was born in Kyrgyzstan. As a child, his family moved to Russia and then, when he was eight years old, to the United States. He is a naturalized U.S. citizen.
KJ