After seeking to ease the solitary restrictions imposed against him, alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will get his wish. At least, under strict conditions. He will now have more abundant access to his defense team through visitation, as well as a number of other professionals and specialists to help the defense argue against a possible death penalty.

Earlier in November the team of public defenders assigned to represent Tsarnaev petitioned the court having argued that Special Administrative Measures (SAMs) enacted by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder limit the amount of contact the defendant has with outsiders, including his legal counsel, thereby infringing on his constitutional right to a fair trial.

On Tuesday, according to the Associated Press, it was prosecutors who noted in court documents that the restrictions have been eased, allowing Tsarnaev access to not only his defense team, but also “a paralegal, a mental health consultant and a specialist who will help the defense prepare arguments against the death penalty.”

Moreover, the mental health consultant and death penalty argument specialist will be able to visit Tsarnaev without his lawyers present.

Judge George O’Toole has since ruled that it’s too early to set a trial date, though, he has assigned February 28 as the date for the defense to file a motion to dismiss or change the venue for the court proceedings.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Carmen Ortiz has expressed her intent on seeking the death penalty for Tsarnaev. But as Massachusetts does not recognize capital punishment on the state level, it will be up to Holder to decide whether the prosecution will seek it, seeing as how 17 the 30 federal charges levied against Tsarnaev carry the weight of such – including  use of weapons of mass destruction. He plead not guilty to every charge.

Tsarnaev, with the help of his deceased brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev, are thought to be responsible for the dual explosions via pressure cookers near the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon which killed three and injured 264. They are also thought to have murdered MIT Police officer Sean Collier while sitting in his cruiser, to have stolen a car, and to have engaged and injured police in nearby Watertown during a firefight in the streets.

Tsarnaev is being held at the federal prison at Fort Devens in Ayer, Mass.

[Image via Art Lien]