Media Turns to Steve Huggard for Analysis in Boston Marathon Bombing Case
April 23, 2013 - Steve Huggard, 17-year veteran of the Department of Justice in Boston, has analyzed legal issues arising from the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings in multiple media outlets. In an April 22 Boston Globe article, "Thorny US Legal Questions Swirl in Case of Suspect," Huggard said that the lack of charges so far may reflect an effort to extract intelligence from the suspect before he has a lawyer. “Once they charge him, he’s going to have a lawyer, and [prosecutors] may want to keep the playing field to themselves for a couple of days,” said Huggard.
“Once he’s arrested, the timeline starts. In this country, you don’t get to hold someone indefinitely without seeing a judge,” Huggard added in a second Boston Globe article, "Suspect Charged with Using Weapon of Mass Destruction." In yet another Globe article, "Federal Charges Focus Only on Marathon Bombing," Huggard commented on the 10-page affidavit detailing Tsarnaev’s alleged role in the bombings. “It lays out the evidence so that the public has an idea of what’s been going on in the past week," he said. "There’s been a lot of confusion going on.”
Huggard also weighed in on the upcoming trial in The Wall Street Journal article, “Legal Teams Both Have Terror-Case Experience.” Huggard observed, "The system works well when both sides are well-lawyered, and you're going to have this here."
In four broadcast interviews on NECN, Huggard weighed in on the charges filed against Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. In the segment, "Legal Analyst: Death Penalty is 'In Play' in Boston Bombing Case," Huggard said, "Two things are obvious. First thing, the death penalty is very much in play in this case. Each of the charges that were lodged by the criminal complaint carries a potential death penalty as punishment. Also, the government has announced, the White House has announced today that this is going to be handled in regular, criminal court just like any other crime that is committed in the United States, and it's not going to be handled in the military courts through a military tribunal. He's not going to be charged as an enemy combatant. He's going to be charged as a criminal defendant in the United States, and the regular criminal procedures that apply in any criminal case will apply in this case." During a second interview, "Huggard: Tsarnaev Wants to Live," he noted that the investigation will continue and that Tsarnaev was charged as soon as possible to keep the case moving.
In the NBC News article, “After Hospital, Where Will Boston Bombing Suspect Go?”, Huggard outlined several possible scenarios as to what would happen to the Boston bombing suspect once he is no longer in the hospital. Huggard also appeared on Fox TV in Boston to discuss the bombing suspects, as well as on the San Francisco-based radio program with Gil Gross to discuss whether the Boston bombing trial should be moved to a different city. In a television segment on Canada AM, Huggard discussed whether the suspect would have a fair trial in the age of social media.
Furthermore, in a Reuters story, "Boston Marathon Case Prosecutor Known for Aggressive Record," Huggard noted that while the Tsarnaev case will bear Ortiz's imprint, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in Washington will be calling important shots as well. "It's not going to be her [Ortiz] doing anything by herself," Huggard said.
After Tsarnev was transferred to a federal prison, Huggard noted that his parents may not be allowed to visit in the NBC News article, “Boston Bombings Suspect Moved from Hospital to Prison.” He also commented on the housing conditions in the federal prison where the Boston suspect was moved in a follow-up NBC News article, “Boston Bomb Suspect's New Home Has Motley Cast of Alums.”