Defense: Friend Didn’t Intend to Help Tsarnaev
BOSTON (AP) — A lawyer for a man accused of obstructing the investigation into the Boston Marathon bombings said his client isn't a terrorist and never intended to help bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (joh-HAHR' tsahr-NEYE'-ehv).
Azamat Tazhayakov (AZ'-maht tuh-ZAY'-uh-kahv) is charged with obstruction of justice and conspiracy for allegedly removing items from Tsarnaev's dorm room several days after the deadly bombings.
Prosecutors told jurors during opening statements Monday that Tazhayakov agreed with his roommate to remove a backpack containing fireworks, a laptop computer and other items from Tsarnaev's room after they saw his photo on TV and realized he was a suspect in the bombings.
Tazhayakov's lawyer, Nicholas Wooldridge, told the jury that Tazhayakov "never even touched that bag" and never agreed to throw it away. He says the roommate took the backpack and threw it away.