Prosecutors argue against moving Tsarnaev trial

BOSTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors are disputing arguments from lawyers for marathon bombing suspect Dzohkhar Tsarnaev (joh-HAHR’ tsahr-NEYE’-ehv) that he cannot receive a fair trial in Boston.

In a reply filed on Monday in U.S. District Court, prosecutors called polling data presented by a defense expert “false and misleading.”

Tsarnaev’s lawyers have requested that the November trial be moved to Washington, D.C. They claim the survey conducted in May shows most potential jurors in Massachusetts hold an “overwhelming presumption of guilt.”

Prosecutors also said the survey greatly exaggerated the amount of local media coverage of the case by including many news stories that had little or nothing to do with the bombing.

Tsarnaev is charged in the April 2013 attack that killed three people and wounded more than 260 others.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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