Govt Rests in Tsarnaev Trial

By Jeralyn, Section Terror Trials
Posted on Mon Mar 30, 2015 at 11:36:37 AM EST
Tags: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Boston Marathon Bombing (all tags)

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The Government ended its case in the Boston Marathon bombing trial of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev with gory photos of the autopsy of child victim Martin Richards. At least three jurors cried, according to reporters tweeting from the courtroom.

An FBI photographer testified earlier this morning about where Tsarnaev was standing in relation to Richards. The Government tried to make the argument that Tsarnaev deliberately targeted the 8 year old. On cross, the defense showed other photos that had two people standing between Jahar and the boy, and pointed out Jahar walked away right after the first bomb went off, while the Richards family stayed where they were.

The witness used a diagram that, at the direction of the government, didn't depict the other people standing between Jahar and Richards. On Cross: [More...]

Conrad: look at this picture; there are a few other people near Tsarnaev and his backpack, but you didn't include them in your diagram.

Conrad: In this next image, there are other people in the photo who you also excluded in your diagram, at the direction of the govt? - Yes.

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Govt Rests in Tsarnaev Trial | 3 comments (3 topical)

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"the argument that Tsarnaev (none / 0) (#1)
by Mr Natural on Mon Mar 30, 2015 at 09:13:16 PM EST

deliberately targeted the 8 year old."

- sounds like overreaching. Isn't it sufficient to prove that he put a bomb in the middle of a crowd of people? 1: He placed a bomb. 2: He knew what it could do. 3: He was an adult. 4: He didn't stop it. Q.E.D.

Has the entire prosecution been this transparently manipulative?

i could be wrong, but i would guess the purpose (5.00 / 1) (#2)
by cpinva on Tue Mar 31, 2015 at 01:06:59 PM EST

here is to paint the defendent as inherently evil, that he would specifically target an innocent 8 year-old boy. all the better to build up a desire for revenge in the sentencing phase, to push for a death sentence.


: Yes (none / 0) (#3)
by Reconstructionist on Tue Mar 31, 2015 at 02:37:25 PM EST

Although DP trials are bifurcated, the parties will push their sentencing themes in the guilt phase (and before in voir dire to the extent permitted). In this case, the defense really had little more available in the guilt phase than to do that. Even with the defense opening statement "he did it, "the government still has to introduce evidence sufficient to prove every element of the offenses, but it will attempt to underline potential aggravating factors in doing so.
The defense has rested and closing arguments will be Monday. The defense called witnesses with the objective of portraying Dzhokhar as a follower of his older brother and having taken a less active role in the crimes than Tamerlan ( a lot of the defense evidenc was testimony showing Tamerlan's fingerprints were on the bomb materials no Dzhokhar's and that the brother's computer had much more incriminating material stored. . Clearly, these are not facts that would negate any elements, but they might possibly influence the sentencing deliberations.