Prosecutors Fight Tsarnaev's Bid For More Time To Decide On Moving Trial Venue
BOSTON (CBS/AP) — Federal prosecutors say the Boston Marathon bombing suspect should not get more time to decide whether to ask to move his trial out of the city.
Lawyers for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev say a Feb. 28 deadline to decide whether to ask for a change of venue is premature because U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder isn't expected to announce whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty until late January.
On Monday, U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz asked a judge to keep the deadline as is. She said the defense has provided no compelling reason to extend the deadline and doing so indefinitely would adversely impact the prompt administration of justice.
Tsarnaev has pleaded not guilty in the April 15 bombing, which killed three people and injured more than 260 others. His brother, Tamerlan, died following a shootout with police in Watertown several days after the bombing.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was seriously wounded in the shootout, but he fled officers and hid inside a boat that was being stored in a Watertown resident's back yard. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is being held without bail.
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