Security measures at Boston Marathon bombing trial extend outside courthouse
As jury selection began this week in what is considered by many the highest-profile U.S. terrorism trial since Timothy McVeigh’s over the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, security was high.
In addition to a fleet of U.S. Homeland Security vehicles parked outside Boston’s federal courthouse and driving around it and the presence of city police on foot, armed U.S. Coast Guard vessels patrolled nearby waters, the Associated Press reports.
And that’s probably not nearly all: Enhanced surveillance, police snipers, bomb squads and undercover officers are likely part of the mix of measures intended to prevent any disruption of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s trial for the fatal bombing attack near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013, says Rick Avery. He is in charge of the northeast region for Securitas, a private company that is not providing trial security.
“Federal courthouses have a very high level of security to begin with, so what you’re doing is basically extending the security barrier beyond the courthouse doors,” he said. “The possibility of something happening exists every day, so I’d imagine they’re being a little more cautious with this.”
Related coverage:
Christian Science Monitor: “The view from the courthouse in the Dzhokhar Tsarnaev trial”
Bloomberg (opinion): “Choosing a biased Boston Marathon jury”
Washington Post (opinion): ” Why the alleged Boston Marathon bomber probably won’t get the death penalty”
