Group of attorneys believe Boston Marathon bomber should be granted new trial

Eight prominent Boston-area lawyers are on the record in support of a new trial for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, arguing that he didn't get a fair trial in the city.

Although Tsarnaev admitted to his role in the deadly bombing, his defense team is looking for a second chance.

In a recent filing, the self-described "distinguished local citizens" argue the court "made a grievous error in insisting this case be tried in Boston."

They believe the jury was too traumatized by the bombings to impartially decide his fate.

"You might impanel a jury somewhere else just to hear sentence," Professor Michael Meltsner of the Northeastern University School of Law said. "You don't have to go through this trial again."

Meltsner, a constitutional law professor at Northeastern, added his name to the filing because he believes Tsarnaev's life should be spared.

"A jury anywhere in the country might have decided that this young man should be executed, but at least would have a sense that it was a group of people who were dispassionate," Meltsner said.

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Three people were killed in the bombing, including 8-year-old Martin Richard.

A jury has spoken once, and it's now up to the court to decide if a new jury will speak again.

Cox Media Group