Tamerlan Tsarnaev again the focus of defense testimony
By Samantha Lavien
The radicalization of Tamerlan Tsarnaev constantly emphasized throughout the defense’s second day of testimony in the penalty phase for convicted Boston bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
A computer forensics expert walked jurors through the contents found on the elder Tsarnaev’s computer.
The jury was shown a recreation of the now dead Boston bomber’s desktop, which showed a disturbing picture of children dying on a street. The desktop background also had a sticky note with a translation reading, in part, “We all belong to Allah and to him is our return.”
The witness, Mark Spencer, took jurors through a series of encrypted items found on Tamerlan’s computer, including a picture of a young child holding a large rifle. In another photo in that series the jury saw Tamerlan dressed in religious garb holding a gun standing next to a small child.
Information was also revealed about the computer search history of Tamerlan’s wife, Katherine Russell. Evidence shows that a year before the bombings Russell searched about the rewards of dying as a martyr’s wife. This information leaves some questions as to what she knew leading up to the 2013 attacks. Russell’s mother took the stand on Monday. It is not clear if Tamerlan’s wife will be called to testify.
A former boxing coach of Tamerlan’s was among the witnesses called on Tuesday. John Curran spoke about Tamerlan’s character and also his interpretation of the brothers’ relationship.
Curran told jurors he met Dzohkhar Tsarnaev a few times when he was around 9 or 10 years old. He said, “I mentioned to somebody that he was like a puppy following his brother.”
Jurors also heard several FBI reports from witnesses read by a paralegal at the Public Defenders Officer
As part of that interview with Magomed Dolakov, jurors again heard about a radicalized Tamerlan Tsarnaev.
In part of the interview with the FBI, Dolakov said that in the days before the attack Dzhokhar Tsarnaev made mention that he wanted to visit Russia and was tired of America.
Testimony is set to resume on Wednesday.
© WLNE-TV 2015
