BOSTON (AP) – A federal judge has denied requests by lawyers for Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to move his trial out of state and to delay its start.
U.S. District Court Judge George O’Toole Jr issued his denials today and said explanations will be issued later in the day.
Jury selection in Tsarnaev’s trial is scheduled to start Monday.
Defence lawyers said it would be impossible to find an impartial jury in Massachusetts given the massive amounts of publicity the case has received. They also said the trial should be delayed so they could better prepare.
Tsarnaev has pleaded not guilty to 30 federal charges connected to the April 2013 explosions at the finish line that killed three and injured more than 260. He faces the death penalty if convicted.
