Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been found guilty?by a federal jury in Massachusetts on all 30 charges leveled against him. He now faces the prospect of the death penalty when the jury reconvenes for the penalty phase of the trial next week.
Reporters in the courtroom said Tsarnaev showed no emotion as the verdicts were read. After the last “guilty,” sounded through the courtroom, Tsarnaev sat quietly with his defense lawyers, looking straight ahead and resting his chin on his hands.
The jury, composed of seven women and five men, had been deliberating the case for the past two days. They will now start deliberations on the penalty for Tsarnaev–life in prison without parole or the death penalty–probably on Monday, April 13. The state of Massachusetts has no death penalty, but Tsarnaev was charged under federal statutes, which do carry the death penalty.
Tsarnaev and his older brother, Tamlerlan, were identified on videotape planting homemade bombs during the 2013 running of the Boston Marathon. Those bombs killed three people and injured 260, the worst act of terrorism on American soil since September 11, 2001.
The charges Tsarnaev was found guilty on are:
- Count 1:?Conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, resulting in death (Death penalty charge)
- Count 2:?Use of a weapon of mass destruction (Pressure Cooker Bomb #1), resulting in death; and aiding and abetting (Death penalty charge)
- Count 3:?Possession and use of a firearm (Pressure Cooker Bomb #1) during and in relation to a crime of violence, resulting in death; and aiding and abetting
- Count 4:?Use of a weapon of mass destruction (Pressure Cooker Bomb #2), resulting in death; and aiding and abetting?(Death penalty charge)
- Count 5:?Possession and use of a firearm (Pressure Cooker Bomb #2) during and in relation to a crime of violence, resulting in death; and aiding and abetting?(Death penalty charge)
- Count 6:?Conspiracy to bomb a place of public use, resulting in death?(Death penalty charge)
- Count 7:?Bombing of a place of public use (Pressure Cooker Bomb #1), resulting in death; aiding and abetting?(Death penalty charge)
- Count 8:?Possession and use of a firearm (Pressure Cooker Bomb #1) during and in relation to a crime of violence, resulting in death; aiding and abetting?(Death penalty charge)
- Count 9:?Bombing of a place of public use (Pressure Cooker Bomb #2), resulting in death; aiding and abetting?(Death penalty charge)
- Count 10:?Possession and use of a firearm (Pressure Cooker Bomb #2) during and in relation to a crime of violence, resulting in death; aiding and abetting?(Death penalty charge)
- Count 11:?Conspiracy to maliciously destroy property, resulting in death
- Count 12:?Malicious destruction of property by means of an explosive (Pressure Cooker Bomb #1), resulting in death; aiding and abetting?(Death penalty charge)
- Count 13:?Possession and use of a firearm (Pressure Cooker Bomb #1) during and in relation to a crime of violence, resulting in death; aiding and abetting (Death penalty charge)
- Count 14:?Malicious destruction of property by means of an explosive (Pressure Cooker Bomb #2), resulting in death; aiding and abetting (Death penalty charge)
- Count 15:?Possession and use of a firearm (Pressure Cooker Bomb #2) during and in relation to a crime of violence, resulting in death; aiding and abetting (Death penalty charge)
- Count 16:?Possession and use of a firearm (Ruger P95 9mm semiautomatic handgun) during and in relation to a crime of violence, resulting in death; aiding and abetting?(Death penalty charge)
- Count 17:?Possession and use of a firearm (Ruger P95 9mm semiautomatic handgun) during and in relation to a crime of violence, resulting in death; aiding and abetting (Death penalty charge)
- Count 18:?Possession and use of a firearm (Ruger P95 9mm semiautomatic handgun) during and in relation to a crime of violence, resulting in death; aiding and abetting?(Death penalty charge)
- Count 19:?Carjacking, resulting in serious bodily injury; aiding and abetting
- Count 20:?Possession and use of a firearm (Ruger P95 9mm semiautomatic handgun) during and in relation to a crime of violence; aiding and abetting
- Count 21:?Interference with commerce by threats and violence; aiding and abetting
- Count 22:?Possession and use of a firearm (Ruger P95 9mm semiautomatic handgun) during and in relation to a crime of violence; aiding and abetting
- Count 23:?Use of a weapon of mass destruction (Pressure Cooker Bomb #3 on or about April 19, 2013, in the vicinity of Laurel Street and Dexter Avenue in Watertown); aiding and abetting
- Count 24:?Possession and use of a firearm (a Ruger P95 9mm semiautomatic handgun and Pressure Cooker Bomb #3) during and in relation to a crime of violence; aiding and abetting
- Count 25:?Possession and use of a firearm (a Ruger P95 9mm semiautomatic handgun and Pipe Bomb #1) during and in relation to a crime of violence; aiding and abetting
- Count 26:?Possession and use of a firearm (a Ruger P95 9mm semiautomatic handgun and Pipe Bomb #1) during and in relation to a crime of violence; aiding and abetting
- Count 27:?Use of a weapon of mass destruction (Pipe Bomb #2 on or about April 19, 2013, in the vicinity of Laurel Street and Dexter Avenue in Watertown); aiding and abetting
- Count 28:?Possession and use of a firearm (a Ruger P95 9mm semiautomatic handgun and Pipe Bomb #2) during and in relation to a crime of violence; aiding and abetting
- Count 29:?Use of a weapon of mass destruction (Pipe Bomb #3 on or about April 19, 2013, in the vicinity of Laurel Street and Dexter Avenue in Watertown); aiding and abetting
- Count 30:?Possession and use of a firearm (a Ruger P95 9mm semiautomatic handgun and Pipe Bomb #3) during and in relation to a crime of violence; aiding and abetting
It is believed that Tsarnaev’s defense team will attempt to save the 21-year-old’s life from death by lethal injection with an argument that he was misled by his older brother, Tamerlan, and did not fully understand the implications of his actions. The defense may also make the argument that?Tamerlan had much more responsibility in the harm that was caused than Dzhokhar did.
