Searching for ‘death-qualified’ jurors slows marathon bombing trial
Posted January 25, 2015 9:21 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
BOSTON (NEWS1130) – Jury selection for the trial of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is moving more slowly than expected as a judge probes prospective jurors on their feelings about the death penalty.
Jurors in capital punishment cases must be willing to consider both the death penalty and life in prison. If they say they are unable to impose the death penalty or unable to consider life, they are excused from serving.
Death penalty opponents see the process as unfair. They say so-called “death-qualified” juries do not represent a true cross-section of the community, adding those against execution also tend to be more willing to consider an insanity defence
