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US will seek death penalty against Boston bombings suspect | US will seek death penalty against Boston bombings suspect |
(35 minutes later) | |
The US government says it will seek the death penalty against Boston Marathon bombings suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. | The US government says it will seek the death penalty against Boston Marathon bombings suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. |
US Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement: "The nature of the conduct at issue and the resultant harm compel this decision." | US Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement: "The nature of the conduct at issue and the resultant harm compel this decision." |
Seventeen of 30 charges against the 20-year-old carry the possibility of capital punishment, including using a weapon of mass destruction to kill. | Seventeen of 30 charges against the 20-year-old carry the possibility of capital punishment, including using a weapon of mass destruction to kill. |
The bombings killed three and injured more than 260 in April 2013. | The bombings killed three and injured more than 260 in April 2013. |
Mr Tsarnaev has pleaded not guilty and no trial date has been set. | Mr Tsarnaev has pleaded not guilty and no trial date has been set. |
Prosecutors allege that Mr Tsarnaev and his deceased older brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, built and planted two pressure cooker bombs near the finish line of the marathon. | Prosecutors allege that Mr Tsarnaev and his deceased older brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, built and planted two pressure cooker bombs near the finish line of the marathon. |
The brothers lived in the Massachusetts town of Cambridge, home of the prestigious Harvard University, after emigrating to the US in 2002 from the Caucasus region of southern Russia. | The brothers lived in the Massachusetts town of Cambridge, home of the prestigious Harvard University, after emigrating to the US in 2002 from the Caucasus region of southern Russia. |
Officials believe they set off the bombs in retaliation against the US for its military action in Muslim countries. | Officials believe they set off the bombs in retaliation against the US for its military action in Muslim countries. |
Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed during a shootout with police days after the bombing. The younger brother was wounded and was eventually found inside a boat in a residential neighbourhood. | Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed during a shootout with police days after the bombing. The younger brother was wounded and was eventually found inside a boat in a residential neighbourhood. |
Prosecutors allege Mr Tsarnaev wrote about his motivation for the bombing on the inside of the boat. | Prosecutors allege Mr Tsarnaev wrote about his motivation for the bombing on the inside of the boat. |
He allegedly wrote the US government was killing "our innocent civilians" and "I can't stand to see such evil go unpunished". | |
Mr Tsarnaev is also charged with killing a university police officer and carjacking. | Mr Tsarnaev is also charged with killing a university police officer and carjacking. |
He will be charged under the federal death penalty law; Massachusetts abolished the use of capital punishment in 1984. | He will be charged under the federal death penalty law; Massachusetts abolished the use of capital punishment in 1984. |
Since the federal death penalty was reinstated in 1988, 70 people convicted have been placed on death row. | Since the federal death penalty was reinstated in 1988, 70 people convicted have been placed on death row. |
But only three people have actually been executed, including Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh in 2001. | But only three people have actually been executed, including Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh in 2001. |