TORONTO – The next phase of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s trial will begin April 21, when jurors will have to decide whether or not he deserves the death penalty.
Lawyers will present evidence on both sides of the argument in what’s called the Penalty Phase of the trial.
Tsarnaev was found guilty Wednesday of all 30 counts against him, including conspiracy and deadly use of a weapon of mass destruction. Seventeen of those charges could result in the death penalty.
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The former student was found responsible for the deaths of three people at the marathon as well as the death of an MIT police officer who was gunned down in the days following the 2013 bombing.
Tsarnaev’s defence lawyers will be tasked with convincing at least one of the 11 jurors that his life should be spared. A death sentence must be unanimous in the United States.
The prosecution will present evidence to the contrary, arguing Tsarnaev deserves to be executed.
More to come.
– With files from The Associated Press
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