Boston Marathon bomber wanted to terrorize US, prosecutor says

BOSTON – As he planted a backpack
containing a bomb just feet from a group of
children, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev made a cold-
hearted decision aimed at spreading terror and
punishing America for its wars in Muslim
countries, a federal prosecutor told jurors
Monday during closing arguments in Tsarnaev's
death penalty trial.
"There was nothing about this day that was a
twist of fate," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Aloke
Chakravarty. "This was a cold, calculated
terrorist act. This was intentional. It was
bloodthirsty. It was to make a point. It was to
tell America that we will not be terrorized by
you anymore. We will terrorize you."
Martin Richard, an 8-year-old Boston boy, was
killed when the bomb Tsarnaev was accused of
planting exploded. And two young women died
when Tsarnaev's brother set off a bomb just
down the street. Both explosives were placed in
crowds gathered at the finish line of the 2013
marathon. More than 260 people were wounded.
The defense began its closing arguments in the
afternoon, after which the jury was expected to
begin deliberating 30 charges against Tsarnaev,
21.
If he is convicted — and that was considered a
near certainty, since his own lawyer, Judy
Clarke, admitted during opening statements that
Tsarnaev took part in the crime — the jury will
begin hearing evidence on whether he should
get life in prison or a death sentence.
Hoping to save Tsarnaev's life during the
penalty phase, Clarke has argued that Tsarnaev
fell under the influence of his now-dead older
brother, Tamerlan, 26.
Prosecutors used their closing argument to
remind the jury of the horror of that day,
showing photographs and video of the carnage
and chaos after the twin pressure-cooker bombs
exploded. In a video that showed the aftermath
of the first blast, jurors could hear the agonizing
screams of Krystle Campbell, a 29-year-old
restaurant manager who bled to death on the
sidewalk.
Taking aim at the argument that Dzhokhar
Tsarnaev was led astray by his older brother,
Chakravarty repeatedly referred to the
Tsarnaevs as "a team" and "partners" in the
attack. Tamerlan Tsarnaev died four days after
the bombings after he was shot by police and
run over by Dzhokhar during a getaway attempt.
"That day, they felt they were soldiers. They
were the mujahedeen, and they were bringing
their battle to Boston," Chakravarty said.
As for the youngsters killed or maimed in the
attack, Chakravarty said: "These children
weren't innocent to him. They were American.
Of all the places that he could have placed the
bomb, he placed it right there."
Chakravarty said the brothers planned to go to
New York to set off more bombs. The brothers
shot and killed an MIT police officer in an
unsuccessful attempt to steal his gun. Hours
later, they hurled pipe bombs and another
pressure cooker bomb at police in nearby
Watertown as they tried to escape, Chakravarty
said.
Tamerlan was killed; Dzhokhar was found hiding
in a dry-docked boat in Watertown about 18
hours later.
At the end of his closing argument, Chakravarty
displayed photos of the three people killed in the
bombings and the police officer who was shot
to death.
"They are no longer with us," Chakravarty said.
"This is the result of the defendant's choice to
be a terrorist, his choice to make a statement.
These were choices that he was proud of."