Boston Marathon Bomber Trial Update: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's 'Best Friend' Pleads Not Guilty to Gun, Drug Charges
A friend of alleged Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev pleaded not guilty in federal court Wednesday on gun and drug charges.
Stephen Silva, 21, is accused of providing the gun that Tsarnaev and his older brother Tamerlan allegedly used to kill MIT police office Sean Collier in the aftermath of the Boston bombings that killed three people and wounded 260 others in April 2013.
In addition to the gun charge, Silva was arrested in July and charged with distribution of heroin.
During the brief hearing, Silva, who told transit police that he was Tsarnaev's "best friend," pleaded not guilty to all eight counts against him, reports the Boston Herald. He also volunteered to be held without bail indefinitely. He faces up to 40 years in jail if convicted.
"The indictment charges that Mr. Silva possessed a firearm in February of 2013, which is approximately two months before the marathon bombing and the shooting of the MIT police officer. He has not been charged with any connection or any involvement with the marathon bombing," said Silva's court-appointed defense attorney Jonathan Shapiro after the arraignment, reports
"I've read what's in the (news)papers. The papers are saying that law enforcement officials are saying the gun was the gun that was used, but again, that's not been charged," Shapiro said, adding that he will fight for Silva's release on bail at a later date.
"We're working on developing conditions for his release," he said. "It's something that takes time," he said.
Silva is due to appear in court again on Oct. 8.
Silva is one of five men who have been arrested and linked to the marathon bombing on April 15, 2013, reports the Associated Press.
Last month, another friend of the bombing suspect was convicted of obstruction of justice and conspiracy for trying to cover up evidence that could have incriminated his college friend.
Twenty-year-old Azamat Tazhayakov is one of three of Tsarnaev's friends at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth who was accused of interfering with the bombing investigation days after the attack. He was the first former UMass Dartmouth student to stand trial. The other two former students, Dias Kadyrbayev and Robel Phillipos, are set to face an obstruction of justice trial later on this year.
Tazhayakov, who faces up to 20 years in prison, is due back in court Oct. 16 for his sentencing trail, said the office of Carmen Ortiz, the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts, according to the Washington Post.
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