Defense: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Followed Brother's Lead In Boston Marathon Bombing
BOSTON (CBS) – Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's defense team wasted no time on the first day of testimony in the Boston Marathon bombing trial.
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Attorney Judy Clarke, in a brief opening statement to the jury, said her client is guilty.
"It was him," Clarke announced but with a caveat.
"Unfortunately and tragically, Dzhokhar was brought into his brother's passion, and his plans, and that led the way to Boylston street."
"We do not, and we will not, sidestep Dzhokhar's responsibility for his actions," said Clarke. But she added "It was Tamerlan who self-radicalized. It was Dzhokhar who followed."
The defense of the 21-year-old will focus on his older brother Tamerlan, who attorneys will argue led his younger brother every step of the way. The younger brother, they will claim, powerless to stop him.
It's an argument prosecutors anticipated.
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In his opening arguments, prosecutor William Weinreb announced "The focus is going to be on the defendant. He's on trial, not his brother."
And Weinreb added a motive.
"He did it all because America needed to be punished for killing Muslims overseas. He believed he was a soldier in a holy war against Americans," Weinreb told the court.
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Prosecutors painted a picture for jurors of an evil young man, who targeted an event where he knew families and children would be.
"He pretended to be a spectator but had murder in his heart," Weinreb said.
After an emotional look at each of the three bombing victims who were killed at the finish line and slain MIT officer Sean Collier - including graphic details of their fatal injuries - testimony began.
Shane O'Hara, the manager of Marathon Sports, the site of the first bomb, choked back tears as he explained the carnage and bloodshed outside his store.
"The thing that haunts me are the agonizing decisions: who do you help first, who needs it more," he said. "That was never my role, to make that decision."
At least two jurors teared up listening to testimony from Karen McWatters, who was at the marathon with her friend Krystle Campbell.
Mcwatters lost her leg but shuffled to Campbell's side as they bled.
"We tried to talk," McWatters testified. "I didn't know how bad she was hurt. She said her legs hurt, then her hand went limp in mine and she never spoke again."