Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to Appear in Court for First Time Since July 2013
The public will lay eyes on accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev for the first time since July 2013 when he appears in federal court Thursday.
Tsarnaev is expected to be present for a pretrial status hearing, the last pretrial conference before his jury trial begins January 5. The last time Tsarnaev was seen in public was July of last year, when his arm was in a cast and his face was still swollen from injuries.
He has largely been held in solitary confinement since his arrest, and has only been allowed limited interactions with family members and his legal team. Prosecutors have argued that these restrictions are needed because of “his ability to inspire others through his words in light of his past deeds,’’ they wrote in a legal brief.
Because cameras are not allowed in the courtroom, there still won’t be photographic evidence of his appearance. Still, court stenographers will likely be there for the latest sketches of Tsarnaev.
Tsarnaev is accused of planting and setting off the explosions that killed three people and injured 260 in April 2013. He faces 30 charges, including using a weapon of mass destruction, and could get the death penalty if convicted.
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