Tsarnaev Lawyers Want Jury Selection Delayed Because Of Paris Attacks
I think it would be absurd to delay because of something that happened in Paris. There are terrorist attacks in the world so frequently that under this logic, the jury would never be selected. This is a Death Penalty case and the defense lawyers seem to be attempting a delaying tactic because if the judge agrees to delay a month over Paris, the defense can justify another delay later because of another terrorist attack somewhere in the world.
Tsarnaev Lawyers Want Jury Selection Delayed Because Of Paris Attacks
BOSTON (AP) — Lawyers for Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev asked a judge to suspend jury selection in his trial for at least a month because the recent terrorist attacks in France have again placed the marathon bombings "at the center of a grim global drama."
The lawyers said Tuesday a delay would allow some time "for the extraordinary prejudice flowing from these events — and the comparison of those events to those at issue in this case — to diminish."
They said potential jurors have been instructed to avoid media reports about Tsarnaev's case, but were exposed to reports about the French attacks. Jury selection began last week in Boston. More than 1,350 prospective jurors have been called in to federal court to fill out lengthy juror questionnaires. The judge is scheduled to begin questioning individual jurors Thursday.
"Almost immediately after the attacks, the press, politicians, and commentators drew parallels between the French attacks and the Boston Marathon bombing," the lawyers wrote.
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