Prosecutors and defense lawyers started jury selection Monday in the trial for one of four friends of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev charged with impeding the investigation of the attack that killed three people and injured more than 260 others. More than 200 potential jurors filled out questionnaires on Monday, and another large group will be screened on Tuesday. The judge said 12 jurors and six alternates will be chosen.
Azamat Tazhayakov is accused of removing a backpack containing fireworks and a laptop from Tsarnaev's dorm room at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth several days after the bombings. Tazhayakov was offered a plea deal, according to his lawyer, but turned it down because "he knows he's not guilty." Tazhayakov's lawyers said. Three other friends charged with hiding evidence or lying to investigators will be tried separately in the state of Massachusetts. Tsarnaev has pleaded not guilty to 30 federal charges and will likely face trial in November.
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Girlfriend of bombing suspect's friend to testify (Boston.com)
