Boston Bombing Case 2014: Alleged Bomber's Friend Expected to Plead Guilty
A friend of alleged Boston bombing suspect Dzokhar Tsarnaev is expected to plead guilty on Thursday to obstruction of justice and conspiracy charges related to disposing of evidence after the Boston Marathon bombing, CNN reported.
Prosecutors say that Dias Kadyrbayev removed a backpack and computer from Tsarnaev's dorm room after the bombing on April 15, 2013. Kadyrbayev will be changing his plea and his lawyer is expected to say more after the hearing.
Tsarnaev and his brother, Tamerlan, allegedly put homemade bombs near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, which detonated and killed three people and hurt more than 200. Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed in a shootout with police while Dzokhar was apprehended by authorities.
Kadyrbayev is accused of removing items from Tsarnaev's dorm room then throwing a backpack into a dumpster and taking a computer to his off-campus apartment. Investigators later found the backpack and computer.
Another friend of Tsarnaev, Azamat Tazhayakov, who also was Kadyrbayev's roommate, was convicted last month on similar charges and faces a maximum of 25 years in prison. Tazhayakov is set to be sentenced on Oct. 16.
Authorities say that Tazhayakov knew the identities of the Tsarnaev brothers before the public was told and say that he texted Kadyrbayev: "i think they got his brother."
A third friend, Robel Phillipos, is reportedly facing charges related to making false statements to investigators and will stand trial next month, according to the International Business Times.
Prosecutors allege that the friends knew that the Tsarnaev brothers were the ones in videos and still photos shown to the public asking for assistance. An indictment against Kadyrbayev says he told friends that he believed Tsarnaev used vaseline to make bombs.
The indictment also says that Tsarnaev texted Kadyrbayev after the bombs went off and said he could go to this dorm room and take whatever he wanted. Kadyrbayev then showed that text to Tazhayakov, according to the indictment.
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