After slouching through his trial for months with a bored look on his face, the defendant was ordered to rise.
For close to half an hour, Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was on his feet, fidgeting as he listened to the reading of a 24-page worksheet in which a jury dismantled, piece by piece, any hope he had of mercy.
By page 21, his fate was clear: death by injection.
In the nation's most closely watched terrorism trial since the Oklahoma City bombing, the 21-year-old Tsarnaev was sentenced to death Friday by a federal jury that swept aside arguments he was just a "kid" who fell under the influence of his fanatical older brother.
The decision — which came just over two years after the April 15, 2013, bombing that killed three people and wounded more than 260 — brought relief and grim satisfaction to many in Boston.
"We can breathe again," said Karen Brassard, who suffered shrapnel wounds on her legs.
The death sentence sets the stage for what could be the nation's first execution of a terrorist in the post-9/11 era, though the case is likely to go through years of appeals.
In the meantime, Tsarnaev will probably be sent to death row at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, where Oklahoma bomber Timothy McVeigh was put to death in 2001.
A somber-looking Tsarnaev stood with his hands folded, his head slightly bowed, as he learned his fate, sealed after 14 hours of deliberations over three days. His lawyers left court without comment.
His father, Anzor Tsarnaev, reached by phone in the Russian region of Dagestan, let out a deep moan upon hearing the news and hung up.
The 12-member federal jury had to be unanimous for Tsarnaev to get the death penalty. Otherwise, the former college student would have automatically received life in prison with no chance of parole.
In weighing the arguments for and against death, the jurors decided among other things that Tsarnaev showed a lack of remorse. And they emphatically rejected the defense's central argument — that he was led down the path to terrorism by his big brother.
"Today the jury has spoken. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will pay for his crimes with his life," said U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz.
The attack and the ensuing manhunt paralyzed the city for days and cast a pall over the marathon — normally one of Boston's proudest, most exciting moments — that has yet to be lifted. With Friday's decision, community leaders and others talked of closure, of resilience, of the city's Boston Strong spirit.
"Today, more than ever, we know that Boston is a city of hope, strength and resilience that can overcome any challenge," said Mayor Marty Walsh.
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/boston-bombing-trial/boston-bombing-trial-jury-reaches-verdict-penalty-phase-n359731
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-boston-marathon-trial-20150515-story.html#page=1
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