Judge agrees to postpone hearing for Boston Marathon bombing suspect until July
Source: Washington Post/AP
BOSTON A judge has agreed to postpone a probable cause hearing for Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (joh-HAHR tsahr-NEYE-ehv).
U.S. Magistrate Judge Marianne Bowler on Tuesday granted a joint request from prosecutors and defense attorneys to postpone the May 30 hearing until July 2. The lawyers say they need more time to obtain and review evidence, and cited complex legal issues in the case.
The bombings near the finish line of the marathon killed three people and injured more than 260. Tsarnaev is accused of carrying out the April 15 attack with his brother, Tamerlan, who died four days later following a shootout with police.
Prosecutors said last week that they needed more time to indict Tsarnaev than the 30-day period prescribed under federal law.
Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/judge-lawyers-can-get-prison-records-for-boston-marathon-bombing-suspect/2013/05/20/49feb980-c1af-11e2-9aa6-fc21ae807a8a_story.html
Note that the initiative to postpone the hearing came from the prosecutors - they need more time. The defense then accepted the delay.
This looks like a poker game: the initial raiser (prosecutor) checks on the turn, showing weakness; the caller (defense) decides to check, too (joining the request) instead of betting (insisting on May 30). Probably to keep the stake as low as possible.
temmer
(358 posts)the defense has likely a better hand than the prosecution. The prosecution made impressive moves in the beginning - initiating a medial campagne that was aimed at the heart of US-american identity.
"They wanted to attack us on 4th of July!"
"They wanted to go to NY City and bomb the Times Square!"
But the later moves were apparent bluffs - picked up only by a bunch of right-wing media:
"They murdered three drug dealers in 2011 and covered the bodies with marihuana and 5000 $ cash!"
"Motive for the attacks finally detected! It was revenge for Afghanistan and Iraq! Tsarnaev wrote it on the inside of the boat seconds before he was arrested!"
The defenders at least have called the bluff. They now question the voluntarity of DT's pre-Miranda confession.
Yeah, except for the video and bomb-making equipment they found at his house, they got nothing.