Accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is shown in a courtroom sketch next to Judge George O'Toole on the first day of jury selection at the federal courthouse in Boston
IN PHOTO: Accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is shown in a courtroom sketch next to Judge George O'Toole (R) on the first day of jury selection at the federal courthouse in Boston, Massachusetts January 5, 2015. O'Toole on Monday began the process of selecting the jury that will hear the trial of Tsarnaev, telling the first of some 1,200 prospects to read no more news accounts about the deadly blasts. Tsarnaev, a 21-year-old ethnic Chechen who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, could get the death penalty if convicted of killing three people and injuring more than 260 others by detonating a pair of homemade bombs placed amid a crowd of thousands of spectators at the race's finish line on April 15, 2013. REUTERS/Jane Flavell Collins

During his hearing today, lawyer for the accused Dzhokhar Tsarnaev dissuaded the jury that the latter does not deserve a death penalty by presenting his innocent side — Tsarnaev's ordinary life as a student at University of Massachusetts Darmouth. The Chechnya native is being tried for the Boston bombing in 2013 that resulted in 280 injuries and allegedly cost five lives.

A glimpse into his college years revealed that Tsarnaev was enrolled for four semesters and had “Introduction to Ethics” among the courses he took. Defence lawyer David Bruck called to testify Vice Chancellor for UMass-Darmouth, Mark Preble, who exhibited the accused’s transcript of record showing two failures in Chemistry in 2011 fall; two in critical writing, finite math and reading in 2012 spring; and another three in psychology, American politics and chemistry in 2012 fall.

Due to very poor performance, his financial aid was cancelled. In order to reacquire, he filed for Satisfactory Academic Progress Report and explained the reason behind his failing grades. Tsarnaev cited stress, which sprung from the plight of men in his country.

“This year I lost too many of my loved relatives. I was unable to cope with the stress and maintain school work. My relatives live in Chechnya, Russia. A Republic that is occupied by Russian soldiers that falsely accuse and abduct innocent men under false pretences and terrorist accusations. I am at a point where I can finally focus on my school work. I wish to do well so one day I can help out those in need in my country, especially my family members,” Boston Globe quoted.

He continued: “I wish to do well so one day I can help out those in need in my country, especially my family members.”

During his arrest, Tsarnaev earned a GPA of 1.094. To initiate his defence, Tsarnaev’s lawyers admitted in their opening statement that Tsarnaev, indeed, had a part in the bombings, but it was Tamerlan, his older brother, who masterminded and recruited the younger Tsarnaev.

When a state police fingerprint specialist, Christopher Donahue, was presented to testify, it was proved that although a partial fingerprint — found on the exterior portion of a box containing 9mm bullets and another on the magazine of the gun allegedly used in killing the police officer of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sean Colliers — matched Tsarnaev’s, the bullets did not bear his fingerprints.

For comments or feedback on the article, please contact the writer at selivak@ibtimes.com.au.
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