BOSTON--In a short indictment hearing, Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev pled not guilty to the charges against him.
There was no live streams of Tsarnaev’s short pre-trial hearing.
After pleading not guilty to seven different charges, Tsarnaev was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs. He blew a kiss to his family but didn’t look at the estimated 30 victims’ family who were present.
The courtroom was so full that two overflow rooms were opened.
Tsarnaev is charged with being behind the Boston Marathon bombings, which killed three and injured more than 260 others. The marathon was on April 15, earlier this year.
Tsarnaev’s older brother, Tamerlan, is also suspected to have been behind the bombings, but died during a shoot-out with police days after the marathon.
The trial is expected to last up to four months, and government prosecutors told the judge they plan on calling 80 to 100 witnesses. The trial is expected to last for three to four months. Federal prosecutors are still deciding whether to press for the death penalty.
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The trial can’t begin until the defense prepares its litigation budget, which includes the number of days that they think it will take as well as the number of lawyers and other staff involved. The judge told the defense to prepare the budget as quickly as possible.
After the short hearing, people came out of the courtroom crying. Some people had been standing in line to enter the courtroom for over four hours.
Several groups came in support of Tsarnaev, saying they think he’s been framed by the government. Tsarnaev and his parents also maintain his innocence.
