Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Makes Final Court Apperance Before Trial

The trial is scheduled to begin next month.

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Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev appeared in court this morning for the first time in over a year. Tsarnaev's trial for his role in the incident which killed three people and injured 260 will start next month. 

The New York Times reports that this was the 21-year-old's first court appearance since pleading not guilty to 30 federal charges last July. Tsarnaev was asked to attend the hearing because it's his final opportunity to speak up about his contentment with his attorneys: 

Prosecutors from the United States attorney’s office asked that Mr. Tsarnaev attend Thursday’s hearing. It is his last chance before the trial to indicate whether he is satisfied with his legal representation. If he has any concerns, prosecutors want him to raise them now rather than provide a basis for appeal later.

According to the Times, Tsarnaev indicated that he is, indeed, satisfied. His trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 5, and if it actually proceeds as planned, the Times says it's likely to last between three and five months: 

If a trial does take place, it could last from three to five months and would proceed in two phases. The first would determine guilt or innocence. If Mr. Tsarnaev were found guilty, the second phase would determine whether he was given the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Although Massachusetts has eliminated the death penalty, Tsarnaev faces federal charges. Still, the Times notes that it remains unlikely that he would be executed even if sentenced to death.

[via New York Times]

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