Judge urges jurors to keep an open mind
By The Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) _ The judge overseeing the federal death penalty trial of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has told jurors they must keep an open mind on what punishment the defendant should receive.
Judge George O’Toole spoke to jurors Tuesday before the start of the penalty phase of Tsarnaev’s trial.
He told them they must weigh aggravating factors proven by prosecutors against mitigating factors shown by Tsarnaev’s lawyers to decide whether Tsarnaev should be sentenced to life in prison or be executed.
The judge told jurors that if even one of them votes against the death penalty, the sentence will automatically be life in prison.
Three people were killed and more than 260 were injured in the 2013 bombings.
Tsarnaev was convicted of all charges in the guilt phase of the trial.
(C) The Associated Press 2015
