11 Years Ago Today, A Brutal Act of Terror

April 15th marks two significant events in US history: the 11th anniversary of Tamerlan and Dzhokar Tsarnaev's bombing of the Boston Marathon, and the first day of jury selection in  the first criminal trial of a former US President. These two very different situations both share one important legal question: how do you select a jury from a city full of people who not only know a defendant by name but have good reasons to despise them?

Boston residents Matt and Casey share their own memories of the day that changed their city forever before breaking down the trial of surviving bomber Dzhokar Tsarnaev and ensuing appeals of his death sentence to the 1st Circuit and Supreme Court. We examine why the U.S. publicly announced that it would not be reading Tsarnaev his Miranda rights, and debate whether or not the defense should have been allowed to introduce evidence during the penalty phase that Tamerlan Tsarnaev may have participated in a triple homicide two years earlier to prove his influence over his younger brother. What can Clarence Thomas's decision reinstating Tsarnaev's death sentence tell us about how Trump trial judges might handle jury selection? And what might be next following the 1st Circuit's recent findings on juror bias?

1) U.S. v. Tsarnaev indictment 

2) Middlesex District Attorney's report on Watertown PD's shootout with the Tsarnaev brothers

3) 1st Circuit's decision vacating Dzhokar Tsarnaev's death sentence (7/31/2020)

4) Supreme Court decision reinstating Tsarnaev's death sentence  (3/5/2022)

5) Most recent 1st Circuit decision ordering further hearing on juror bias (3/21/2024)

 

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