It is unclear whether Tsarnaev, who has been a silent if fidgety presence in court, or any of his relatives will take the stand.
His parents now live in Russia, although his two sisters and Tamerlan’s widow, a US-born Muslim convert, live in the States.
Prosecutors will try to convince the 12 jurors that there are enough aggravating factors — including premeditation, the number of victims and a lack of remorse — to warrant capital punishment.
The defense will argue their client should be sentenced to life without parole, portraying a confused 19-year-old, frightened of his radicalized 26-year-old brother, who was shot dead by police while on the run.
“I think we’ll hear a lot more from the defense about who the defendant is, his young age, what is life has been like, what his relationship with his brother was,” said University of New Hampshire professor Albert Scherr, an expert on the death penalty.
Seventeen of his 30 convictions carry the death penalty under federal law.
The 12 jurors were selected in part based on their openness to impose the death penalty — controversial in a state that has not executed anyone since 1947 and where Catholic bishops oppose capital punishment.
On Friday, Bill and Denise Richard, whose son Martin was killed and daughter Jane lost a leg, said pursuit of the death penalty could entail years of appeals and “prolong reliving the most painful day of our lives.”
Any decision to drop the death penalty in the trial would have to be taken by Attorney General Eric Holder.
About The Author
