Attorneys for Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev requested to delay the start of his trial until late 2015 during a scheduled status conference in court on Wednesday.
His attorneys said in a report filed in court that they’ve not been able to fully review all the documentary evidence, “including nearly 2,000 items that reportedly are still being analyzed by the FBI and items kept at additional locations,” according to CNN.
They said the earliest they could be prepared for trial is September 2015, CNN reported.
The request for delay comes as Attorney General Eric Holder announced the government’s decision to pursue the death penalty against Mr. Tsarnaev for his alleged role in the April 15 bombings that left three dead and hundreds wounded, including several who lost limbs.
Mr. Tsarnaev is accused of working with his brother, Tamerlan, to plant bombs at the finish line of the marathon. Tamerlan was killed days later in a shootout with police after a massive manhunt.
NECN reported that Mr. Tsarvaev did not make an appearance during Wednesday’s court hearing. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
U.S. attorneys said the trial is likely to take three months, with the penalty phase lasting another six weeks, NECN reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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