A U.S. judge denied a request on Tuesday of moving the trial of three college friends of the accused Boston Marathon bomber outside of Massachusetts, the Associated Press reported.
Dias Kadyrbayev, Azamat Tazhayakov and Robel Phillipos, who used to attend the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth with Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, had recently filed change of venue motions, attorneys said.
The suspects, facing charges that they hampered an investigation into the deadly 2013 blasts, are expected to testify after appearing in court this week starting Tuesday.
U.S. District Judge Douglas Woodlock said he believed it was possible to convene a fair and impartial jury in Boston - where 3 people were killed and 264 wounded in the attacks - though he had also begun arrangements to empanel a jury in Springfield, Mass., about 90 miles west of Boston, in case it were needed, Reuters reported.
"Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov are Kazakhstan nationals who are charged with tampering with evidence for removing Tsarnaev's laptop and a backpack containing fireworks from his college dorm room shortly after last year's fatal bombing," the AP reported. "Kadyrbayev also faces conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges. He and Tazhayakov have been held without bail for more than a year."
"Phillipos, of Cambridge, is accused of lying to investigators and wants his case to be tried separately. He has been held under house arrest."
Having pleaded not guilty, all three are set to face trial on June 30.
"A fair and vetted jury will be fair and impartial and will take seriously their responsibilities and can be chosen even in a community where an extraordinary event took place," Woodlock said.
The defendants were granted each of their own trials instead of being tried together.
Due to the overwhelming media coverage of the case, the defendants fear unfair trials in Massachusetts, the lawyers said. But prosecutors have been opposed to any changes.
