Boston Marathon bombing suspect pleads not guilty
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E-mail CNTV, July 11, 2013
Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has made his first public appearance in court. He pleaded not guilty to 30 charges for his alleged role in the tragedy that killed three and hurt over 200 others in April.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev arrived at court under a heavy police presence, about to face the charges and the people he allegedly targeted.
30 family members and victims were in court to see him face to face - so many two overflow courtrooms were set up.
CCTV correspondent Nick Harper said, "The arraignment lasted just 8 minutes during which time Dzhokhar Tsarnaev pleaded not guilty to all 30 charges against him, including using weapons of mass destruction and killing 4 people - 3 in the marathon bombings and a police officer in the days after the attack."
17 of the charges carry a potential death penalty - something the prosecution is likely to push for.
Nancy Gertner, Retired Federal Judge, said, "These death penalty cases are without a doubt the most complicated cases to try as a lawyer, or prosecutor or judge."
Nancy Gertner is a retired judge who has presided over federal cases in the very courtroom where Tsarnaev appeared. She says jury selection alone will take a long time.
Gertner said, "The jury has to be screened to determine if they are willing to impose the death penalty should that decision be brought to them. In other words if someone says 'I have no interest in ever imposing the death penalty ever as to anyone' would be a juror that could be excluded."
Away from the court, life carries on. Copley Square next to where the bombs went off is like any park on a sunny afternoon. People here are reticent to talk about the bombings - reluctance to dwell on what happened.
Now the legal process begins - a process that's likely to last many months.
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