MassLive says Marathon Bombing Trial Could be in Springfield (Boston: condos, crime)

[RiverBird]

This is NOT a debate or political discussion, simply informative. MassLive.com is reporting that the Boston Marathon bombing trial could be held in Springfield at the federal courthouse (downtown), in about 6 months or more. This is probably due to the high emotions and prejudicial feelings of Boston residents, understandably, among other factors.

My observations about this are that the media from all over the world will descend on the city of Springfield, driving downtown and on State St. (where the courthouse is) will be impossible with many detours set up, and the city will become a police state. OTOH, it would be good for the Springfield economy (hotels, restaurants, gas stations, etc). If they could just get the casinos in place in time, think of how the city would score.

I would also feel sorry for those who live downtown, esp those in the Classical H.S. condos across the street from the courthouse.

Again, this is NOT a political/controversy discussion about the tragedy. If this thread turns into one, it will be closed most likely. Please keep comments focused on the site of the trial, thanks.

[missionhill]

We'll see if we get that far. Are there any other suspects than the younger brother? He may give up the ghost long before any trial gets going. His condition is pretty bad and what motive has he to get better now that he's ruined his life and faces federal prosecution on a murder 1 charge among many others. Other notorious felons have either taken their own lives (e.g., Hermann Goering) or been killed (Lee Harvey Oswald) before trial and conviction. If there is a trial in Springfield, I agree that it will be an economic benefit and bring the city into the limelight for awhile. There will be some bad press, though-- reporters on slow days filing stories about their dreary, run down surroundings, not unlike that guy who was complaining (unreasonably) here on C-D a week or two ago about Springfield after a few days in a downtown hotel.

[beth98]

Springfield would certainly be more logical than Boston, though I would be surprised if it would be held anywhere in the state. I would guess that it would follow a similar track as the McVeigh trial, which was moved out of state.

[RiverBird]

Originally Posted by beth98

Springfield would certainly be more logical than Boston, though I would be surprised if it would be held anywhere in the state. I would guess that it would follow a similar track as the McVeigh trial, which was moved out of state.

Maybe I heard wrong but I thought I heard the trial has to be in a federal court in the state of Mass., where the crime occurred. Spfld has a federal courthouse downtown - I wonder if Worcester does and if so wouldn't that be a more logical location, being closer to Boston.

I have to go into Spfld once a week close to the courthouse. I am envisioning what it will be like if the trial is held there.

ETA: Just found online that Worcester does have a fed courthouse.

[RiverBird]

Originally Posted by missionhill

We'll see if we get that far. Are there any other suspects than the younger brother? He may give up the ghost long before any trial gets going. His condition is pretty bad and what motive has he to get better now that he's ruined his life and faces federal prosecution on a murder 1 charge among many others. Other notorious felons have either taken their own lives (e.g., Hermann Goering) or been killed (Lee Harvey Oswald) before trial and conviction. If there is a trial in Springfield, I agree that it will be an economic benefit and bring the city into the limelight for awhile. There will be some bad press, though-- reporters on slow days filing stories about their dreary, run down surroundings, not unlike that guy who was complaining (unreasonably) here on C-D a week or two ago about Springfield after a few days in a downtown hotel.

Maybe Springfield will get some decent press out of it. Maybe the news commentators will mention home of basketball and this and that. Visually, the new contemporary glass-walled courthouse and surrounding area is nice. But oh, the security nightmare on State St. And the media descending.

[Makolly]

It annoys me that any taxpayer money will be wasted on a trial at all. They should get all the info out of him that he has then make him quietly disappear.

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

Maybe I heard wrong but I thought I heard the trial has to be in a federal court in the state of Mass., where the crime occurred. Spfld has a federal courthouse downtown - I wonder if Worcester does and if so wouldn't that be a more logical location, being closer to Boston.

I have to go into Spfld once a week close to the courthouse. I am envisioning what it will be like if the trial is held there.

ETA: Just found online that Worcester does have a fed courthouse.

No, I don't believe it has to be held in-state at all.

[beth98]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

Maybe I heard wrong but I thought I heard the trial has to be in a federal court in the state of Mass., where the crime occurred. Spfld has a federal courthouse downtown - I wonder if Worcester does and if so wouldn't that be a more logical location, being closer to Boston.

I have to go into Spfld once a week close to the courthouse. I am envisioning what it will be like if the trial is held there.

ETA: Just found online that Worcester does have a fed courthouse.

I don't think it has to be in Mass given they are federal charges. I believe the defense can request a change of venue due to difficulty finding an impartial jury in Boston. Given the number of people who know someone that way there, or that knew a victim, I imagine it would be hard. I can easily think of two or three reason why I couldn't be a juror given connections to the marathon. I'm not really sure, I just remember the Oklahoma City bombing trial being held out of state.

[western mass and love it]

I really don't think 72 miles is nearly enough distance from Boston for the defense to find an impartial jury. I'm thinking 3500 miles will not be enough distance.

[miu]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

This is NOT a debate or political discussion, simply informative. MassLive.com is reporting that the Boston Marathon bombing trial could be held in Springfield at the federal courthouse (downtown), in about 6 months or more. This is probably due to the high emotions and prejudicial feelings of Boston residents, understandably, among other factors.

My observations about this are that the media from all over the world will descend on the city of Springfield, driving downtown and on State St. (where the courthouse is) will be impossible with many detours set up, and the city will become a police state. OTOH, it would be good for the Springfield economy (hotels, restaurants, gas stations, etc). If they could just get the casinos in place in time, think of how the city would score.

I would also feel sorry for those who live downtown, esp those in the Classical H.S. condos across the street from the courthouse.

Again, this is NOT a political/controversy discussion about the tragedy. If this thread turns into one, it will be closed most likely. Please keep comments focused on the site of the trial, thanks.

I strongly disagree with the bolded part. If the casinos were already built in the area, the employees would be getting their same work hours. And with any extra customers, the bulk of the profits (from the losses of those customers) would go the the Native Indian tribe running the casinos. Plus that line of thinking is just plain wrong... hoping for more gambling customers as an added bonus to the bombing trial being in the vicinity.