Primary Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar “Jahar” Tsarnaev plead not guilty today to 30 counts of using weapons of mass destruction, 17 of which carry the death penalty, at his arraignment this afternoon in Boston. Appearing in public for the first time since being pulled from the dry-docked Watertown boat shielding him from authorities in April, Tsarnaev will appear in court again on September 23 at 10am.
Tsarnaev audibly sounded “not guilty” seven times after being read the 30 count indictment against him and to the chagrin of the victims and their relatives visibly smirked towards his sisters present in the courtroom, blowing them a kiss upon being escorted out of the court once the 7-minute preceding came to an end. The bombing suspect was seen nursing his left arm in a cast while his jaw seemed to be swollen.
The Moakley Federal Courthouse was crowded full of supporters for the families and victims of Marathon bombings, as well as in support of Tsarnaev feeling as though he’s been wrongfully accused and has been denied his rights as an American citizen. A line of MIT police officers stood at attention in front of the courthouse in support of fellow officer Sean Collier who was killed in relation to the Marathon bombings, allegedly at the hand of Tsarnaev and his older brother Tamerlan.
The Tsarnaev brothers stand accused of detonating two explosive devices near the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon, killing four and injuring 264. 34 of the surviving victims were subjected to amputation due to the severity of the wounds incurred during the blasts. Tamerlan was killed after engaging in a shootout with police and being run over by Jahar with the getaway car.
A number of demonstrators staked outside of the courthouse under the mantra “Free Jahar,” a trend on Twitter that has sparked the support of thousands, though only about a dozen were present today. One Bostonian verbally bashed the protestors, conveying the message that he felt Tsarnaev is clearly guilty.
Stay tuned to BostInno for the latest developments around the Boston Marathon bombings case. As of now the trial is set to resume on September 23 at 10am.
