Feinstein: Boston Bombing 'Likely a Death Penalty Case'

Alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is likely to be sentenced to death for his part in the plot if he is tried in a federal civilian court, Sen. Diane Feinstein, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said Sunday.

Sen. Feinstein (D-Calif.) pointed to a mountain of evidence against the 19-year-old man and his older brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, who was killed following a shootout with police.

“I think there’s going to be a great deal of evidence put together to be able to convict him, and it should likely be a death penalty case under federal law,” Feinstein said during an appearance on Fox News Sunday. “I believe that the federal competence in doing this at this time is extraordinary.”

The younger Tsarnaev, who was born in Kyrgyzstan, became a U.S. citizen on Sept. 11 of last year. Treating him as an enemy combatant would be unconstitutional, she said, rejecting calls from GOP lawmakers for the suspect to be interrogated with an attorney present.