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With bombing admission, why is Tsarnaev on trial at all?
WCVB.com (Boston) ^
| 03/10/2015
Posted on 03/10/2015 6:04:26 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's lawyer startled a packed courtroom during opening statements at his federal death penalty trial by bluntly admitting that he committed the 2013 attack with his brother, raising some thorny questions, mainly: Why have a trial at all?
Some legal experts and a bombing survivor weigh in on the strategies at work and the reasons why the trial is moving forward:
Watch: Surveillance video shows Tsarnaev before, after attack
___
Q: Why didn't Tsarnaev's lawyers persuade him to change his plea to guilty if the defense acknowledges he did it?
A: "A plea of guilty would result in them waiving all their appellate rights. There are some issues - the venue issue, the makeup of the jury - that they might want to bring to a higher court, so that's another reason they probably wouldn't plead guilty," said Boston College law professor Robert Bloom. "Further, they recognize that this is a two-phase trial and they want to do what they can during the first phase so as to start to make their arguments for the second phase ... the penalty phase."
___
Q: Why put the victims through this?
A: Rebekah Gregory, a woman who lost a leg in the bombing, was one of the first survivors to testify during Tsarnaev's trial. Hours after her testimony, she posted a letter to Tsarnaev on Facebook, saying facing him in court actually helped her.
"TODAY ... I looked at you right in the face ... and realized I wasn't afraid anymore. And today I realized that sitting across from you was somehow the crazy kind of step forward that I needed all along," she wrote.
___
Q: Why not just have a penalty phase for the jury to decide punishment instead of going through both the guilt and penalty phases of the trial?
A: "A competent death penalty defense lawyer - during the first phase - will present themes that are relevant to guilt - like diminished capacity, diminished responsibility - that are also entirely consistent with what's going to be said during the mitigation (penalty) phase," said Eric M. Freedman, a death penalty specialist and professor of constitutional law at Hofstra Law School.
"Death Penalty Defense 101 is to present a unified theme through the guilt phase and the penalty phase. ... Therefore, you are ill-advised to argue in the first phase, 'My client is innocent,' and in the second phase, 'My client is very sorry for what he did.' That's completely ordinary and being carried out in textbook fashion here. They are doing precisely what they are supposed to do."
TOPICS: News/Current Events
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Who enabled the terrorist to come into the USA
without a Passport after he beheaded 3 men
in Waltham on the anniversary of 911?
Why were the Saudis protected and flown out
of Boston by the First Lady, and then everything
.... just dropped by the MSM?
2
posted on
03/10/2015 6:06:25 AM PDT
by
Diogenesis
("When a crime is unpunished, the world is unbalanced.")
To: E. Pluribus Unum
Because the current ruling Muslim regime in Washington feels that fellow muslims require a lengthy fair trial, but white Christian males are obviously terrorists and need to be ion secret lists without trial.
3
posted on
03/10/2015 6:06:34 AM PDT
by
Darksheare
(Those who support liberal "Republicans" summarily support every action by same.)
To: E. Pluribus Unum
The trial is all about whether he spends the rest of his life in jail or is executed.
Also, it gives closure to the victims and their families.
To: E. Pluribus Unum
Why have a trial at all?Hmmmm...lessee...So the lawyers, prosecutor, and victim's families can get on Dr. Phil, Dateline, or whatever? mmmm...So the mayor and toadies can brag about how they brought down a dangerous terrorist?
Before it's all over this guy will get the key to the city because he just needs to be understood as he was oppressed by evil whitey!
5
posted on
03/10/2015 6:24:02 AM PDT
by
gr8eman
(Don't waste your energy trying to understand commies. Use it to defeat them!)
To: E. Pluribus Unum
This was TWO YEARS ago! We know he did it. Why the long process? The police should just release him on the Boston Common and let true justice take its course.
6
posted on
03/10/2015 6:25:32 AM PDT
by
montag813
(ue)
To: woodbutcher1963
Executed? In Red England??? ROTFLMAO!!!
7
posted on
03/10/2015 6:27:44 AM PDT
by
who knows what evil?
(Yehovah saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.com)
To: who knows what evil?
They will kill him in a New York minute. Wait and see.
8
posted on
03/10/2015 6:33:36 AM PDT
by
Vermont Lt
(When you are inclined to to buy storage boxes, but contractor bags instead.)
To: Diogenesis
When did Waltham beheadings happen? I must have been in a coma.
9
posted on
03/10/2015 6:35:22 AM PDT
by
Vermont Lt
(When you are inclined to to buy storage boxes, but contractor bags instead.)
To: E. Pluribus Unum
the attacks happened on american soil. and, he was an american citizen (of all of about a 7 months, but that is a totally different problem).
an attack on american soil by an american citizen is going to get you a trial every time.
10
posted on
03/10/2015 6:37:42 AM PDT
by
JohnBrowdie
(http://forum.stink-eye.net)
To: Vermont Lt
They will kill him in a New York minute. Wait and see. Not a chance in hell.
11
posted on
03/10/2015 6:45:08 AM PDT
by
who knows what evil?
(Yehovah saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.com)
To: E. Pluribus Unum
I just hope they put him on the stand.
"Mr. Tsarnaev, when you ran over your brother Speedbump's - I mean Tamerlan's - head, did it feel like more of a snap, more of a crackle, or more of a pop?"
To: Vermont Lt
In Waltham three drugdealers had their throats cut to the point of near-decapitation in an unsolved triple murder.
Although Tamerlan Tsarnaev knew them and had no alibi, he was never investigated for that crime until after he was pizza.
To: E. Pluribus Unum
To: E. Pluribus Unum
If he has admitted guilt take him out back and put a bullet in his head. That makes for a fast and speedy trial. Don’t pass Go and don’t collect $200.
15
posted on
03/10/2015 6:57:56 AM PDT
by
Jack Hydrazine
(Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
To: E. Pluribus Unum
Just as I predicted. This “TRIAL” is going to be another “CIRCUS”, like the “FORT HOOD” shooter. Every politician worth his “SALT” is doing everything they can, to cover their ass. Every body in the world knows that the “FORT HOOD” shooter, like this “BOSTON BOMBER” are cowards. And they are guilty “COWARDS” to boot. We could have saved millions of dollars, by just taking the “FORT HOOD” shooter in the front yard of the court house and putting two bullets in his brain, and throwing his cowardly carcass in a pig pen, for the pigs to eat. Just as we can save millions of dollars by doing the same thing to this “BOSTON BOMBER”.
To: who knows what evil?
You know Boston politics. I will bet you don’t know Bostonians. If you do, can you imagine a vote NOT to kill from Dorchester or South Boston or Roxbury?
This ain’t Cambridge.
17
posted on
03/10/2015 7:18:07 AM PDT
by
Vermont Lt
(When you are inclined to to buy storage boxes, but contractor bags instead.)
To: wideawake
Yes, I do recall that now. Thanks for jogging my memory.
18
posted on
03/10/2015 7:20:09 AM PDT
by
Vermont Lt
(When you are inclined to to buy storage boxes, but contractor bags instead.)
To: Jack Hydrazine
But he didn’t admit guilt, he pleaded not guilty before the court. The “lawyer” is NOT the accused. The lawyer can dress up as a clown if he thinks it will help his client ... :-) ...
19
posted on
03/10/2015 7:32:36 AM PDT
by
Star Traveler
(Remember to keep the Messiah of Israel in the One-World Government that we look forward to coming)
To: Vermont Lt
It’s going to a vote? Now’s that’s news!
20
posted on
03/10/2015 7:43:09 AM PDT
by
who knows what evil?
(Yehovah saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.com)
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