A federal appeals court in Boston has ordered a review of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s death sentence due to claims of juror bias. The court did not overturn the sentence but found that the trial judge failed to adequately address Tsarnaev’s allegations of bias by two jurors. If the judge determines that either juror should have been disqualified, Tsarnaev’s sentence will be vacated, and a new penalty phase trial will be conducted to decide his fate.
Despite a moratorium on federal executions, the Justice Department continues to advocate for upholding Tsarnaev’s death sentence. The latest development in this long-running case comes after the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated Tsarnaev’s death sentence in 2022. The appeals court is now focused on investigating whether two jurors were dishonest during the jury selection process, a concern raised by Tsarnaev’s defense team.
While Tsarnaev’s guilt in the Boston Marathon bombing is not in question, the appeals court is specifically looking into whether he should face execution or life imprisonment. Defense lawyers argue that Tsarnaev was influenced by his deceased older brother, who was involved in a fatal gun battle with police. The case will now undergo further investigation to determine the fairness of the jury selection process and the validity of Tsarnaev’s death sentence.
