Tsarnaev Friend Robel Phillipos Does Not Testify; Defense Rests
The defense in the trial of Robel Phillipos rested its case on Friday without the defendant’s testimony. Phillipos is the friend of accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and is charged with two counts of lying to investigators.
Dr. Alan Wartenberg took the stand on Friday to testify on behalf of the defense about the impact of marijuana on memory. Phillipos has not yet been called to take the stand.
Prosecutors say Phillipos, 21, lied to investigators about his whereabouts and what he saw on April 18, 2013, when he and two friends allegedly visited Tsarnaev’s dorm room and removed a backpack of evidence after the marathon bombings. Phillipos’s defense team contends that he was a scared 19-year-old at the time who was “high out of his mind’’ during interviews with investigators and could not remember clearly.
Thursday’s trial took a surprise turn when former Governor Mike Dukakis testified on behalf of Phillipos, who Dukakis described as a family friend. Dukakis said he called Phillipos on April 20 and described the defendant as “confused.’’
Phillipos is the third friend of Tsarnaev to face related charges. Azamat Tazhayakov was convicted of obstruction of justice and conspiracy charges in July. Another Tsarnaev friend, Dias Kadyrbayev, pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice charges in August. Both are due to be sentenced later this fall.
Phillipos faces a maximum of 16 years in prison if he is convicted of the two charges.
We’re following Friday’s trial as it happens in the Storify below.
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