Venue Change Denied For Marathon Bombing Suspect's Friend
BOSTON (AP) — A judge has denied a motion to move next week's trial for a college friend of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
Prosecutors say Robel Phillipos was in Tsarnaev's dorm room at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth several days after the bombing, when two other friends removed Tsarnaev's backpack, laptop computer and other evidence. Phillipos is charged with lying about being present when the items were removed.
Judge Douglas Woodlock said at a hearing Tuesday that he believes a fair and impartial jury can be picked in Boston.
Lawyers for the 21-year-old Phillipos had asked to move the trial to Springfield; Providence, Rhode Island; or Portland, Maine.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday.
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