Boston - Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev returned to court Tuesday for the start of his sentencing trial where an American jury will condemn the 21-year-old to death or life without parole.
The immigrant of Chechen descent was convicted earlier this month on all 30 counts related to the 2013 marathon bombings, the murder of a police officer, a carjacking and a shootout while on the run.
The federal court room was packed for the first day of the penalty phase, which began with instructions from the judge to the jury, the same 12-member panel that convicted Tsarnaev on April 8.
Outside the building, a dozen protesters demonstrated against the death penalty, holding up banners, one of which read: "Why do we kill people who kill people to show that killing people is wrong?"
This second phase of the trial begins a day after 27,000 people took part in this year's Boston Marathon, which is still reeling from the memory of the attacks, the deadliest in the United States since 9/11.
It also comes as prominent survivors have opposed the death penalty for Tsarnaev, a teenage student at the time, who with his elder brother killed three people and wounded 264 others in the bombings.
The convicted killer walked into the court room, staring at his feet and dressed in a grey T-shirt, black blazer and dark pants.
The penalty phase, which is expected to last three to four weeks at the federal court in the north-eastern US city, will see both prosecutors and defence attorneys call witnesses.
It is unclear whether Tsarnaev, who has been a silent if fidgety presence in court, or any of his relatives will take the stand.
AFP
