Like he has throughout the trial Dzhokhar Tsranaev showed no emotion when a jury of his peers found him guilty on all 30 charges stemming from his actions during the week of the Boston Marathon bombings.

BOSTON --Like he has throughout his trial, Dzhokhar Tsranaev showed no emotion when a jury of his peers found him guilty on all 30 charges stemming from his actions during the week of the Boston Marathon bombings.

A stoic Tsarnaev stood with his team of attorneys as the verdict in the case was delivered in the quiet courtroom, marking the end of a months-long process that began in January with jury selection. With the conviction phase of his trial now complete, the sentencing part begins. Tsarnaev will now be sentenced to life in prison or to death row.

The unanimous guilty verdicts were not a surprise to courtroom observers as the defense for Tsarnaev admitted that he was responsible for the attacks in their opening and closing arguments.

The defense team for Tsarnaev, largely brought on for their expertise in handling the most heinous death penalty cases, is expected to ramp up their argument that he was under the thumb of his older brother Tamerlan before, during and after the bombings. Judy Clarke, the lead defense attorney for Tsarnaev, has a track record of securing life in prison for some of the most infamous criminals in American history that faced a possible death sentence.

The defense gave jurors a sneak peak of the case they're likely to make during their closing argument when they repeatedly pointed to evidence that showed Tamerlan buying components for the bombs.

"The evidence is Tamerlan built the bombs, Tamerlan murdered officer Collier, Tamerlan led and Dzhokhar followed," said Clarke during her closing argument.

Several grueling days of victim impact statements are expected at the onset of the sentencing phase of the trial before the defense will likely take over. The government will likely reprise its argument that Tsarnaev was an "equal partner" in the terrorist attacks on the Boston Marathon, the murder of MIT Police Officer Sean Collier and the Watertown shootout.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aloke Chakravarty said during closing arguments that Tsarnaev was not some patsy under the thumb of his older brother and that, on April 15, 2013, saw himself as a solider defending Islam against the evil Americans.

"That day, they felt they were soldiers. They were the mujahedeen and they were bringing their battle to Boston," said Chakravarty.

The sentencing phase of the trial is expected to last until the end of April.

Attorneys on both sides of the case did not stop to speak with reporters when leaving the courthouse on Wednesday. The atmosphere inside and outside the courthouse was busy but tense after word of the verdict first broke.

Both the courtroom and the overflow rooms were packed with spectators. One of those in attendance was Nicole Sapienza, who brought her two children to watch. Sapienza said she knew of Martin Richard's family through mutual friends, and her son is the same age as Martin Richard was.

"I'm just glad the family could hopefully get some peace, and the victims could rest," Sapienza said. "He's getting what he deserves, and justice will prevail for once."

Carlos Arredondo, the iconic man in the cowboy hat who was filmed rolling an injured man in a wheelchair away from the site of the blast said he is "satisfied" with the verdict. Arredondo said he felt emotional in the courtroom as he watched the verdict.

"I'm feeling good today," Arredondo said.

US Attorney Carmen Ortiz was not present at Moakley Courthouse on Wednesday because she was attending a funeral.

"We are gratified by the jury's verdict and thank everyone who played a role in the trial for their hard work. As we enter this next phase, we are focused on the work that remains to be done. Because the trial is ongoing, it would not be appropriate for me to say more at this time," Ortiz said in an emailed statement.

Seeking special legislation is among the few ways the city can stop fluoridation of the public water supply.

HOLYOKE -- The Board of Health will discuss public water fluoridation Thursday (April 9) but is unlikely to take a vote on the practice that has been in place since 1970, an official said.

The meeting is at 6 p.m. at City Hall Annex in Room 403.

A recurring issue over the years, the latest focus on whether adding fluoride to drinking water promotes dental health or is harmful was prompted by concerns that city resident Kirstin Beatty raised at the Feb. 17 City Council meeting.

"Kristin Beatty - Fluoride Discussion" is the topic on the health board's agenda.

"They're just doing to discuss it," said Brian Fitzgerald, Board of Health director.

The Board of Health is Chairwoman Patricia A. Mertes and members Robert S. Mausel and Dalila Hyry-Dermith.

Supporters say adding fluoride - a form of the element fluorine, which occurs naturally in the environment - to the water supply has succeeded for decades in improving dental health.

But opponents say that chemicals used in fluoridation can be harmful and that having the government treat the public water infringes on an individual's right to decide what to ingest.

As with nearly everything, online research can be found to support the views that adding fluoride to the water helps or hurts, depending on which findings an individual decides to trust.

The city has been fluoridating water since 1970 under Board of Health order. Fluoridation costs $30,000 a year at Holyoke Water Works, officials have said.

In a meeting with the City Council Public Safety Committee April 1, city staff attorney William Newcomb said three ways exist for the city to stop fluoridation of public water:

--The city Board of Health can be asked to lift the 1970 requirement that water be treated with fluoride to promote dental health;

-- the city can seek special legislation to stop fluoridation;

--10 percent of registered voters can petition for a binding ballot question to be held, but that option is available only upon an order to increase the amount of fluoride in the water supply and the petition must be filed within 90 days of the publication of such an order.

The Public Safety Committee discussed fluoridation with health and water officials and tabled the item so councilors can study information presented that night and see what happens at the Board of Health meeting, Chairwoman Linda L. Vacon said.

Supt. Nick Young lauded Cam Earle's community service, recalling that he has volunteered for the town's food collection drives for the less fortunate, and assisted with special olympics

SOUTH HADLEY - High School senior Cam Earle, 17, stood with his parents Tuesday night when the school board and Superintendent Nicholas Young recognized the young man's athletic accomplishments and student achievement.

The star basketball player - with 1,015 career points for the varsity team - is only one of six South Hadley players - three females and three males - to reach one thousand in school history.

Young lauded the senior's community service, recalling that Earle has volunteered for the town's food collection drives for the less fortunate, and assisted with the Special Olympics.

"Cam is a highly recruited student athlete and is looking at Springfield College and Westfield State University among other colleges to attend," Young said.

In an interview, Earle said he had not yet decided where he would attend in September.

He said the School Committee recognition was an important moment in his life.

"It's an honor," he said.

His parents, Traci and Patrick Earle, were present at the meeting.

The project is expected to break ground in 2017 and last at least two years, according to Smith College officials.

NORTHAMPTON — Smith College officials on Wednesday announced that acclaimed designer Maya Lin and design firm Shepley Bulfinch have been chosen to redesign the main library at the Northampton women's college.

College officials are banking on Lin and Shepley Bulfinch to re-imagine and redesign the William Allan Neilson Library into a world-class facility that preserves history and encourages new methods of learning. The Lin/Shepley Bulfinch team was chosen for the project after an international search.

Lin, 55, is renowned for her ability to balance art and architecture and is perhaps best known as designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. – her first project and among her most celebrated. The daughter of Chinese immigrants was born in Ohio and educated at Yale University.

Headquartered in Boston, Shepley Bulfinch is one of the nation's oldest architecture firms. The international architecture, planning and interior design firm has amassed an impressive portfolio of higher education projects over the years.

Neilson is the main campus library, with strong collections in the humanities and social sciences. It is home to the College Archives, Mortimer Rare Book Room and Sophia Smith Collection.

The roughly $100 million redesign is Lin's first attempt at creating a space for a college library. The project, one of the most significant capital efforts in Smith College history, is expected to break ground in 2017.

"Maya Lin's celebrated work within the combined fields of architecture, art and landscape – coupled with Shepley Bulfinch's extensive experience in creating 21st-century academic libraries – will create a new library that is not only functional but forward-looking," Smith College President Kathleen McCartney said.

"Maya Lin thinks of libraries as today's temples – spaces for reflection, intellectual exploration and discussion of ideas," she said. "I am confident that she and the design team will work in close partnership with the Smith community to create a library that will showcase our collections and enrich our community in ways we can only begin to imagine."

Lin said she was honored to be chosen for the project.

"The architecture of a library for the 21st century is rich and complex, offering an opportunity to create not only a supremely functional building – one that encourages various methods of learning and research – but also a space that creates a wondrous experience, and a place that resonates with larger meaning," Lin said.

"As a house of learning and of knowledge, the library must act as a space that helps knit together the community and the campus in a way that is respectful of the existing landscape, and yet talks to us of our new century," she said.

Shepley Bulfinch's previous library designs include projects at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, among others.

"It has been a privilege to partner with Smith in early stages of planning for this project," Carole Wedge, president of Shepley Bulfinch, said. "We look forward to working with Maya Lin Studio and the Smith College community to create an unprecedented library that is uniquely suited to the culture of Smith College."

Neilson Library connects the science quad with the arts and humanities quad. Over the years, various additions to Neilson have bisected the campus core, creating a divide between the two quadrangles, according to college officials. The redesign is partly intended to "reinvigorate and restore the center of Smith's campus," the officials said.

Lin, who received an honorary degree from Smith in 1993, has a strong personal connection to the school: Her mother, Julia Chang Lin, is a 1951 graduate of Smith.

"It would have meant the world to my mother to know that I am working on this project," Lin said. "I wish she were still alive for this announcement. I know she would be so proud."

Founded in 1871, Smith is the largest women's college in the U.S. and is perennially ranked among the best liberal arts colleges in the nation.

Energy stocks were the biggest decliners on the day, slumping as the price of oil plunged.

By STEVE ROTHWELL

NEW YORK -- Deal news gave the stock market a lift Wednesday.

Health care stocks rose after generic drugmaker Mylan bid $29 billion for rival Perrigo. That offset a slump in energy stocks prompted by a big drop in oil prices.

In Europe, oil company Royal Dutch Shell agreed to buy BG Group for $69.7 billion in cash and stock.

Corporations worldwide are seeking to increase growth through acquisitions and have announced almost $1 trillion of deals so far this year, according to data provider Dealogic. That's giving a boost to stock markets as the acquiring companies typically offer a premium for their targets.

"There's obviously the big debate about whether (deals are) value-creating or value-destroying," said Dan Morris, Global Investment Strategist at investment company TIAA-CREF. "But in the short term it is generally good for markets."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 5.57 points, or 0.3 percent, at 2,081.90. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 27.09 points at 17,902.51. The Nasdaq composite gained 40.59 points, or 0.8 percent, to 4,950.82.

Investors were also parsing the minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting for clues about the timing of a possible interest rate increase, and waiting for companies to start reporting their first-quarter earnings.

Alcoa, a metals maker, one of the first major companies to report earnings, said after the close that its revenue fell short of analysts' expectations. Its stock slid 47 cents, or 3.6 percent, to $13.21 in after-hours trading.

Overall, earnings per share are projected to decline by about 3 percent for S&P 500 companies, according to data from S&P Capital IQ. That would be the first contraction since the third quarter of 2009, when the economy was emerging from the Great Recession.

On Wednesday, generic drugmaker Perrigo was the biggest gainer in the S&P 500. The stock surged $30.29, or 18 percent, to $195 after the Mylan announced that it had made a cash-and-stock offer for the company. That's a premium of 24 percent to the latest closing price for Perrigo shares.

Both Mylan and Perrigo recently left the U.S. for Europe. If they combine they would form one of the world's largest makers of generic and over-the-counter generic medicines. Mylan's stock also rose, gaining $8.79, or 15 percent, to $68.36.

Energy stocks were the biggest decliners on the day, slumping as the price of oil plunged.

Oil fell nearly 7 percent, its biggest drop in two months, after the Energy Department reported an increase in oil storage that was about three times what analysts had expected.

Crude stocks rose by 11 million barrels during the week ending April 3, reaching a new high for this time of year. Benchmark U.S. crude fell $3.56 to close at $50.42 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell $3.55 to close at $55.55 in London.

Investors also parsed the minutes of the Federal Reserve's March policy meeting that were released in Wednesday afternoon.

Fed officials disagreed widely last month on when they might begin lifting interest rates from record lows. Minutes of the March meeting revealed that several policy makers favored a rate hike in June, while others were concerned about low inflation. Policy makers have held the Fed's benchmark rate at close to zero for more than six years.

"I don't think the minutes are going to cause people to alter their views as to when the Fed is going to raise interest rates," said Sean Lynch, co-head of global equity strategy at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. "Our thoughts are still that they raise rates sometime this summer."

Corporate earnings will also be in focus in coming weeks.

Companies are set to start reporting earnings for the first quarter. Earnings per share are projected to decline by about 3 percent for S&P 500 companies, according to data from S&P Capital IQ. That would be the first contraction since the third quarter of 2009, when the economy was emerging from the Great Recession.

A big slump in oil prices last year his crimped profits at energy companies, and a surging dollar is hurting the earnings of big multinational corporations.

U.S. government bond prices were little changed. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was flat at 1.89 percent. The dollar fell to 120.06 yen from 120.30 yen Tuesday. The euro slipped to $1.0799 from $1.0823.

In metals trading, gold fell $7.50 to $1,203.10 an ounce, silver fell 39 cents to $16.45 an ounce and copper fell three cents to $16.45 a pound.

In other energy futures trading on the NYMEX:

1. Wholesale gasoline fell 12.2 cents to close at $1.739 a gallon.
2. Heating oil fell 8.6 cents to close at $1.698 a gallon.
3. Natural gas fell 6.1 cents to close at $2.619 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The online video service Wednesday notified many of its biggest content creators of this pending subscription option, asking them to sign off on new contract terms.

YouTube is moving ahead with an option that would give its viewers a chance to skip ads -- for a fee.

YouTube 

Currently, most YouTube videos include brief commercials that play at the beginning of a selection, while some ads are also embedded throughout.

The online video service Wednesday notified by letter many of its biggest content creators of this pending ad-free subscription option, asking them to sign off on new contract terms.

YouTube said its subscription service would give content creators an "untapped, additional source of revenue," TechCrunch reported.

"With the subscription model in place, YouTube would begin to resemble something that's more like Netflix -- a place where consumers pay for access to content that can be streamed on-demand, uninterrupted," TechCrunch wrote.

The letter did not say how much YouTube planned to charge for its ad-free version or say when this service would be available. Bloomberg.com said the subscription service could be launched late this year.

YouTube said in a statement that "giving fans more choice to enjoy the content they love and creators more opportunity to earn revenue are always amongst our top priorities."

YouTube, which is owned by Google Inc., has offered some pay channels since 2013. Its Music Key ad-free music service launched in a limited way in November.

YouTube recently has focusing on finding new revenue sources, indicating in October that it was looking at an ad-free subscription option.

Holyoke signed onto the friend-of-the-court brief and no city legal work or tax money was used, the mayor said.

HOLYOKE -- Mayor Alex B. Morse said Wednesday (April 8) Holyoke has joined a friend-of-the-court brief filed in a federal appeals court in Texas urging immediate implementation of President Barack Obama's immigration reforms.

"It is time to allow our undocumented neighbors -- people who have lived and worked in this country; who have raised their families here, and attended our schools -- to come out of the shadows and claim their membership in our civic life," Morse said in a press release Tuesday (April 7).

The Fifth Circuit Circuit Court of Appeals later this month will hear arguments about an expansion of the deferred action for young immigrants, also known as DACA, and a similar program for the parents of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, known as DAPA.

Obama announced the two programs last year and they are expected to extend benefits to nearly 5 million immigrants in the country illegally, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

According to the New York Daily News, "Obama's actions ... aim to prevent splitting up families of immigrants who have lived in the U.S. illegally. The actions allow undocumented immigrants who are parents of U.S. citizens or legal residents access to work permits and temporary exemption from deportation if they have been in the country for more than five years and pass a criminal background check."

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen issued an injunction against the Obama programs in part because Texas said it would have to issue driver licenses to immigrants who, without the executive action, wouldn't be eligible for them, the San Antonio Express-News said.

Critics such as U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbot have said Obama's executive order on the immigration reforms was illegal.

Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., House Judiciary Committee chairman, decried Obama's step to enact immigration reform by executive order as a form of backdoor amnesty that circumvents Congress, the Associated Press has reported.

Obama has said he has legal authority to take such actions.

A friend of the court brief is when someone who is not a party to a case offers information that bears on the case.

Morse said the city merely added its name to those supporting the case.

"No legal work is being done by the city," Morse said.

In doing so, the city joined Cities United for Immigration Action, an organization of more than 70 cities and counties pushing for Obama's immigration reforms to be executed, in Texas vs. the United States.

"The brief also argues that the District Court judge's decision to block executive action with a preliminary injunction is bad for the economy, hurts families, threatens law enforcement priorities and will stall desperately needed changes to the federal government's immigration policies," according to the Cities United for Immigration Action website.

The effort has been led by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. Other cities involved include Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston and St. Louis, that website said.

This wasn't the first time Morse has waded into federal immigration issues. In November, he issued an executive order that directed police to avoid enforcing federal civil detainer requests aimed at holding immigrants past the point when they usually would be released.

The order, which Morse said made official an existing police practice, would not apply if an individual is the subject of a criminal warrant, has been indicted, arraigned or convicted in relation to a criminal offense or is a registered Massachusetts sex offender.

Holyoke Police Chief James M. Neiswanger said he supported Morse's executive order as a way to eliminate the fear that illegal immigrants have of police and encourage them to help if a crime occurs.

The San Antonio Express-News reported that judges from the appeals court that will hear the challenge to Obama's executive action on immigration tossed a lawsuit Tuesday (April 7) over an earlier version of his policy, leading to speculation about whether that bodes well for supporters of the reforms.

Homeless individuals and advocates spent Wednesday visiting lawmakers in their State House offices to share their stories and make a case for more funding in the budget.

By COLLEEN QUINN

BOSTON — Homeless individuals visited Beacon Hill on Wednesday hoping to make lawmakers more aware that while funding for families without shelter has increased, budgets have not grown enough to help those who live alone.

Aimee Coolidge, director of community and government relations at Pine Street Inn, said funding for services to homeless individuals has not seen a "wholesale" increase since 2001. In Massachusetts, individuals are helped through a different support system than homeless families, according to Coolidge.

Coolidge said lawmakers "thought as they were adding resources to the family system, they're adding to the individual system, but they're not."

In fiscal year 2015, homeless services for individuals received approximately $43 million, about $2 million more than the previous year. Gov. Charlie Baker proposed cutting the budget back to $41 million in fiscal 2016, according to advocates. The Coalition for Homeless Individuals, a network of emergency shelters, medical and support service providers, is seeking a $5.5 million increase over this year's state budget to help people transition into permanent housing.

"Those programs that aid the individual homeless have been shortchanged for the last several years. It sounds odd to say $43 million is shortchanged, but there are more homeless people on the streets now than there were years ago," said Paul Sullivan, who was homeless for eight months in 2008.

Sullivan credits workers at the Pine Street Inn with saving his life. He now lives in an apartment in Boston.

"I often tell people that I am the luckiest formerly homeless person in the United States," Sullivan said.

Barbara Padilla, who currently lives at the Pine Street Inn, said she wanted lawmakers to see that homeless people are more than a line item. Homeless individuals and advocates spent Wednesday visiting lawmakers in their State House offices to share their stories and make a case for more funding in the budget. House leaders are expected to release its version of the fiscal 2016 budget next Wednesday.

"We need people to understand and have ears to listen and a heart to give," Padilla said.

Advocates said homeless shelters struggled to provide room for people during the worst months of the record-setting winter, and prolonged underfunding has made it difficult to keep pace with the number of people who need help.

The Boston Public Health Commission sheltered an average of 700 people per night at multiple sites. Father Bill's & MainSpring, which operates shelters in Brockton and Quincy, sheltered an average of 283 people per night, more than double the 126 beds for which it received funding. Friends of the Homeless in Springfield averaged 170 guests each night during February, more than the 133 beds it was receiving funding for, according to the Coalition. Pine Street Inn housed on average 514 people per night, well above the 427 beds funded.

Rosenberg plans to address the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce for the first time on Wednesday.

By MATT MURPHY

BOSTON - More than two years after comprehensive criminal justice reform slipped from the list of must-tackle issues on Beacon Hill, the collective focus of lawmakers on addressing the opioid addiction crisis may be breathing new life into the debate.

Stanley Rosenberg 

The Amherst Democrat intends to link criminal justice reforms to the efforts already underway in the Legislature and by Gov. Charlie Baker to combat the rising scourge of opioid abuse, according to advisers familiar with his speech.

Rosenberg does not plan to lay out a prescription for reform, but the Senate's new top Democrat sees potential in work done in other states to reform the justice system's approach to drug offenses.

With inmates convicted of drug offenses or other crimes stemming from substance abuse filling houses of correction at a cost of $53,000 a year in Massachusetts, the potential for savings and reinvestment in substance abuse treatment could find traction at a time when budgets are being strained by fixed costs like health care and energy.

Other states, including Texas, North Carolina and Washington, have had success working with organizations like the Justice Reinvestment Initiative and Pew Research Center.

Texas, according to senior officials in Rosenberg's office who have been researching the issue, managed to save $500 million, reducing overall prison populations and reinvesting half the savings into substance abuse treatment and community corrections programs.

Similar work done in North Carolina saved that state $560 million over six years, while Washington was able to cut its per person corrections cost by $9,000 with a shift away from incarceration to community substance abuse treatment.

Sentencing reform stirred strong views at a forum last month. Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph Gants lashed into mandatory minimum sentencing of drug offenders, saying the current set-up needs to be abolished because it is "unfair" to minorities, fails to address the drug epidemic and is a "poor investment" of public funds.

In a sharp rejoinder, Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley said Gants was advocating for a "return to a failed policy" from 30 years ago. When judges had "unfettered" discretion, they exercised it "poorly," Suffolk District Attorney Dan Conley said.

Rosenberg, according to aides, is intrigued by the idea of working with Pew or the Council of State Governments (CSG) officials who have experience helping states craft criminal justice reforms.

Sen. William Brownsberger, the Senate chair of the Judiciary Committee, is also likely to play a key role in any steps taken toward criminal justice reform, with his committee slated to consider scores of bills filed this session dealing with the topic.

Any effort to entice the Justice Reinvestment Initiative or CSG's Justice Center to work with Massachusetts would require buy-in from House leaders and Gov. Baker.

While Pew has been working with the state to gather data on sentencing practices and commissions have been formed to review the system, the last major reform push came in 2012 when Gov. Deval Patrick pressed for a sentencing and parole overhaul, including the elimination of mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders.

Patrick ultimately signed a bill that cracked down on repeat violent offenders with minor changes to drug sentencing guidelines. Patrick got a verbal commitment from legislative leaders to return to the issue of correctional supervision and broad-based sentencing reform in the new session starting in 2013. But criminal justice reform failed to materialize over the past two years.

A MassINC poll conducted in January 2014 found that 67 percent of residents preferred to reform the system to send fewer people to prison rather build new jails, and 83 percent said sending drug users to treatment instead of prison would be effective at reducing crime.

Previewing some of his thinking on the issue, Rosenberg on Tuesday said Massachusetts could take a page out of book from "red states" that have reformed their minimum mandatory sentencing laws.

Suggesting outcomes could be better for drug offenders remanded to treatment rather than prison, Rosenberg, during an appearance on Boston Herald Radio, said, "It's much more expensive to house them in jail than to put them into a treatment program and give them after-care."

Lottery President Anne Noble said while the lottery is financially healthy, it is projecting a decline in contributions to the state's main spending account for the first time since 2008 -- from $319 million fiscal year 2014 to $312 million fiscal year 2015.

Mohegan Tribal Council Chairman Kevin Brown, right, speaks alongside Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Chairman Rodney Butler, left, Monday, in Hartford, Conn. A report issued Monday illustrates the threat posed by growing competition in New York and Massachusetts that could siphon away $570 million annually in gambling revenue from the state's industry by the end of the decade. The two tribes support legislation that would allow them to jointly run as many as three new casinos to counter the casino projects planned across state lines. Michael Melia / Associated Press 

HARTFORD, Conn. -- As lawmakers consider whether to allow satellite tribal casinos near the state's borders, the Connecticut Lottery Corporation wants permission to offer Keno to help diversify its portfolio and protect its revenue stream to the state budget.

Lottery President Anne Noble said while the lottery is financially healthy, it is projecting a decline in contributions to the state's main spending account for the first time since 2008 -- from $319 million fiscal year 2014 to $312 million fiscal year 2015. That's due mostly to a drop in Powerball and Mega Millions ticket sales.

"There's a conversation about the casinos expanding off the reservations. That could have a negative impact on the lottery," Noble said. "We want to make sure that $319 million is something that is sustained over time."

By allowing Keno to be offered by the lottery's 3,000 retailers and potentially 600 new retailers that run bars and restaurants, Noble predicts possibly $25 million in gross revenues could be generated in the first year, $50 million in the second, $70 million in the third, and perhaps more in the future. The bill up for a public hearing on April 15 in the General Assembly's Finance Revenue and Bonding Committee would set aside up to 12.5 percent of the keno revenue for each of the two federally recognized tribes, the Mohegans and Mashantucket Pequots.

Rep. Jeffrey Berger, D-Waterbury, the committee's co-chairman, supports the legislation. He points out how the lottery currently provides the state with more revenue than the two tribes' casinos -- Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino -- combined.

Berger said both Connecticut casinos and the lottery are under pressure from out-of-state competition.

"If we're going to allow for this expansion of the casinos, we cannot disallow the expansion of the Connecticut lottery into keno," he added. "One cannot be done without the other."

It appeared in 2013 that Connecticut would finally join its neighbors and offer Keno, a lottery game where numbers are typically drawn every four minutes. However, some lawmakers voiced concern about expanding gambling and the process of how legislation was passed. Last year, the General Assembly agreed to repeal the provision.

During that time period however, the lottery identified about 30 to 35 interested retailers. Noble said teams were also put in place to recruit more retailers. The lottery also developed software, game rules and marketing plans. Also, both tribes, which originally argued they had exclusive rights to offer such games under a compact with the state, had signed off on the plan.

Patty McQueen, a spokesman for the Mohegans, said Wednesday the agreement reached 18 months ago "still stands."

It's unclear however whether there's enough support in the legislature to resurrect the proposal this year.

Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, noted how keno "proved not to be popular" last time around. Looney is one of the chief advocates of the bill that would allow the Mashantucket Pequots and Mohegans to open up to three jointly owned satellite casinos. The final details of that bill, which is awaiting Senate action, still need to be worked out.

"I haven't heard of any active promotion of (keno) as an alternative or as an additional source of gambling. I don't think it's really on anybody's priority list at this point," Looney said. "I haven't been aware of anybody advocating for that. Things can change obviously, but there was a lot of pushback the last time it was considered."

Athas said she tried to rehabilitate Therrien and other gang-affiliated inmates as part of her job, which she resigned last week.

SPRINGFIELD - A former Hampden County Sheriff's Department corrections officer said she did not have sexual relations nor exchange gifts with drug defendant Sherad Therrien, who began leveling those allegations months ago as his criminal trial approached.

"Your honor, never ... I never had any sexual relations with this individual," Jessica Athas said during a pretrial hearing on Tuesday in U.S. District Court.

However, Athas may have inadvertently compromised certain constitutional rights at her first public opportunity to clear her name.

The background in the case has become complicated. Therrien was a former inmate at the Ludlow jail in 2013 while Athas worked there in the gang intelligence unit. Under examination by Judge Timothy Hillman during a pretrial hearing, Athas said she tried to rehabilitate Therrien and other gang-affiliated inmates as part of her job, which she resigned last week.

Under her affiliation with the jail, Athas worked to cultivate informants both inside the walls and outside. Meanwhile, she was under consideration for a post on a local U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration task force. Athas ultimately earned a seat on that task force in November, court records show.

However, in late December, Therrien's defense lawyer, Jeanne Liddy, filed a motion to dismiss the case against her client based on "egregious government conduct." In essence, Liddy waged an entrapment defense arguing that Athas "used her feminine wiles" to encourage Therrien to sell drugs and a gun to an FBI informant, whom Athas also was cultivating as a street source.

Therrien was caught on FBI videotape selling crack cocaine and a loaded gun to an undercover informant, according to the government. He is charged with cocaine distribution and an illegal gun count.

In multiple court filings in connection with the case, Liddy has alleged that Athas and Therrien struck up a banter after he was released, through phone calls, text messages and in-person meetings. Liddy contends the professional relationship blossomed into a sexual one and that Athas urged Therrien to sell drugs and guns to "help her career."

Liddy also has argued that text messages show Athas asked Therrien to buy her a $550 Michael Kors watch. Athas has denied this.

Before Tuesday, neither the federal government, sheriff's department, her lawyer nor Athas herself has spoken publicly on her behalf. Hillman summoned her to court with her lawyer, Kevin Coyle, to state her intentions regarding invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse had called Athas "untruthful" in court records regarding meetings she had with Therrien in 2013 and said he did not plan to call her as a government witness.

Liddy then placed Athas on the defense list of witnesses and moved the judge to grant Athas immunity, which would insulate her from prosecution. It was an outstanding question until Tuesday. Hillman scheduled a hearing to learn of Athas' intentions.

Coyle told Hillman that Athas intended to plead the fifth if she was called in the Therrien case, but then let her take the witness stand for the judge's' colloquy - which took an unusual turn.

Hillman began by asking her to state and spell her name - typical fodder for any examination of a potential witness. Then he veered into a long series of questions that went to the heart of Liddy's accusations against Athas.

"What's the basis or your rela..." the judge asked, trailing off on the label. "What's the basis ... How do you know him?"

"I attempted to cultivate Mr. Therrien as an informant," Athas responded, after explaining she met him while he was incarcerated.

At this point, everyone in the courtroom fully expected Athas would have already invoked her fifth amendment privilege, which allows a potential witness merely to concede the most basic identifying information.

But, Hillman continued asking, Athas continued answering and Coyle remained silent at her side.

Hillman: "Can you describe the relationship that developed between you?"
Athas: "There was a professional relationship that developed between us."
Hillman: "How often did you interact with him?"
Athas: "Quite frequently."
Hillman: "How many times?"
Athas: "I can't say," adding that she couldn't remember precisely how often they talked.

Under questioning, Athas conceded that she spoke with and texted Therrien often on the phone, met with him twice and bumped into him by accident in a parking lot over several months' time. She said the meetings were brief.

Hillman: "What was the purpose of those meetings?"
Athas: "To get information out of him."
Hillman: "Was there any physical contact between you in any of these meetings?"
Athas: "No, your honor, never ... I never had any sexual relationships with this individual. I never texted him anything sexual or spoke anything sexual to him."

Among Hillman's final questions for Athas, which she answered under oath, was whether Athas had ever urged Therrien to sell drugs and guns on the street.

Hillman: "Did you at any time authorize or encourage the defendant to sell guns or drugs?"
Athas: "No your honor; I would never do that."

While the exchange between the judge and Athas was uncluttered, Athas may have forfeited her right to invoke her right to plead the fifth by virtue of the fact that she already answered many of the questions at the heart of the defense.

Hillman called lawyers to up to the bench to discuss his thoughts on the matter; the public is not privy to sidebar discussions.

Coyle escorted Athas out of the courtroom before the end of the hearing and was not available for comment.

John Pucci, a private attorney who was once an assistant U.S. attorney who ran the Springfield office said it is quite likely Athas may have forfeited her rights.

"It's a very significant likelihood," Pucci said. "The judge could rule that she's waived the fifth by answering these questions and hold her in contempt for refusing to answer other questions. You can't be 'sort of in' pleading the fifth. And, the threshold to invoke the fifth is really very low."

What HIllman will play out at Therrien's trial, scheduled to begin April 13, remains a question.

Jean Hornedo, 30, is charged with assault and battery on a child with substantial bodily injury and two counts of assault and battery on a child with bodily injury.

Buffy Spencer | bspencer@repub.com 

SPRINGFIELD — A prosecutor told Hampden Superior Court jurors on Thursday that Jean Hornedo caused a brain injury and fractured shoulder to his 4-month-old baby.

Assistant District Attorney Carrie Russell, in her opening statement in Hornedo's trial before Judge John S. Ferrara, said on the morning of April 1, 2013, "things changed inside" the house in which Hornedo and Iris Santiago lived with their three small children.

Hornedo, 30, is charged with assault and battery on a child with substantial bodily injury and two counts of assault and battery on a child with bodily injury.

Defense lawyer Jennifer E. Cox told jurors in her opening statement the baby had a number of caretakers around the time the injury is alleged to have taken place, including members of Iris Santiago's family and Hornedo's family.

She said jurors will hear that there were medical findings showing the injuries would be consistent with accidental trauma or birth trauma and not child abuse.

Russell said the baby girl had medical appointments from the time she was born until February 2013, but had not had any March 2013 appointments. The little girl had some hearing impairment, but otherwise was healthy, she said.

At the hospital on April 1, Russell said, pediatric staff identified the injuries "as suggestive of child abuse." Hornedo inflicted trauma, or injuries inside the baby's head, Russell said.

"Ladies and gentlemen I want to be straight with you," she said, and told jurors there would be no witnesses who saw Hornedo hurt his daughter.

Russell said on April 1, 2013, Santiago was out of the 1175 Worcester St. home and Hornedo was home with the baby.

Hornedo said he was resting on the couch, with the 1-year-old daughter in the kitchen having breakfast and the baby upstairs in a swing, Russell said.

When he went upstairs to check on the baby, she was bluish, non-responsive, foaming at the mouth and not breathing properly, Russell said. Hornedo called 911 and the baby was taken to Baystate Medical Center.

The baby had bleeding inside her head and retinal hemorrhages in the eyes, and an X-ray revealed a fractured shoulder, Russell said.

Cox said the shoulder injury is not necessarily a fracture but could have been an anomaly in the child's body. She said there were no bruises on the exterior of the body.

Cox said after the baby was given oxygen she was revived.

There was no further information given in opening statements about the baby's current condition or where she is living.

The trial continues Friday.

The program is focused on enhancing social, motor and verbal skills.

CHICOPEE - The Parks and Recreation Department is announcing its next session of Kinder Korner Recreation will begin April 28.

The program is for preschool children ages 3 to 5 years old. Each class has a primary focus designed to enhance social, motor, and verbal skills. Children must be toilet trained.

People can choose to enroll their children in sessions on Tuesday, Thursday or Friday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon. There is a maximum of six children per day. Drop-in participation is also welcome but parents must call the Parks Department 24 hours before coming to the class.

The cost is $100 for residents and $115 for non-residents for a seven-week program, if the child attends one day. Information about other prices can be obtained at the Parks Department.

Class spaces are limited. For more information about registering a child call the department at 594-3481.

Obituaries from The Republican.

Kevin Bosworth 

Kevin Michael Bosworth, 38, of Springfield, passed away on April 2. Born in Springfield, he attended Springfield Public Schools. He also attended TriState Tractor Trailer Training School. He was a tractor trailer driver, having worked at various trucking companies.

The price of oil rose as negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program hit a snag.

By STEVE ROTHWELL

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks edged higher Thursday, led by gains for energy companies as the price of oil stabilized following a big drop the day before.

Oil rose as negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program hit a snag. That could mean Iranian oil will continue to be held back from the international market by sanctions.

Investors were also assessing some mixed news on company earnings.

Drugstore chain Walgreens climbed after reporting earnings that surpassed the expectations of Wall Street analysts. The company also said it would expand a cost-cutting program. Alcoa and Bed, Bath & Beyond dropped after delivering earnings reports that disappointed investors.

For the first time in years, the outlook for earnings could prove to be more of a hindrance than a help to stock investors in coming weeks.

Companies in the S&P 500 are expected to report that average earnings per share shrank by 3.1 percent in the first quarter, according to S&P Capital IQ. If the forecast proves accurate, it will be the first time since 2009, when the U.S. economy was emerging from the Great Recession, that earnings have contracted.

"If the U.S. market is going to advance this year, it's going to need to advance mostly on the back of earnings," said Russ Koesterich, chief investment strategist at BlackRock. "The guidance going forward is going to be critical for the market."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 9.28 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,091.18. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 56.22 points, or 0.3 percent, to 17,958.73. The Nasdaq composite gained 23.74 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4,974.56.

After six years of gains, U.S. stocks have made only modest advances this year. A big slump in oil prices since June last year have hit profits at energy companies and a surge in the U.S. dollar is hurting multi-national corporations that have a lot of sales overseas. Investors are also unsettled by the prospect of the Federal Reserve's first interest rate increase after more than six years of near-zero rates.

While U.S. stocks have struggled to gain traction this year, markets in Europe have surged.

On Thursday, the Stoxx Europe 600, an index that tracks large and medium-sized companies in Europe, closed at a record 409.15, surpassing the previous record of 405.50 set in March, 2000 during the technology boom. Stocks in the region are getting a boost from a combination of European Central Bank stimulus, a weaker euro and low oil prices.

The index is up almost 20 percent this year. By contrast, the S&P 500 index is up 1.6 percent, so far.

Walgreens was one of the day's biggest gainers on the U.S. market.

The company's stock jumped $4.94, or 5.6 percent, to $92.62 after it earnings surpassed analysts' expectations. The drugstore chain said it will shutter about 200 U.S. stores as part of an expanded cost reduction push.

Alcoa was among the losers.

The company posted a first-quarter profit that beat Wall Street expectations, but its revenue fell short.

Alcoa is striving to transform itself from an aluminum maker into a supplier for the auto and aerospace industries, making it less sensitive to swings in commodity prices. Analysts were disappointed by the outlook for the company's rolled metal products, which include sheets used for drinks and food cans. Alcoa's stock dropped 46 cents, or 3.4 percent, to $13.21.

Bed Bath & Beyond also slumped after reporting earnings.

The results for the housewares retailer fell short of the expectations of Wall Street analysts. Its earnings outlook was also less than forecast. Wedbush analyst Seth Basham described the outlook as "somber" and said the company's profitability was being threatened more and more by online competition.

The stock dropped $4.22, or 5.4 percent, to $73.46.

In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude rose 37 cents to close at $50.79 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose $1.02 to close at $56.57 in London.

U.S. government bond prices fell. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note edged up to 1.96 percent. The euro fell to $1.0661 versus $1.0797 on Wednesday. The dollar rose to 120.35 yen from 120.15 yen the day before.

Gold fell $9.50 to $1,193.60 an ounce, silver fell 28 cents to $16.18 an ounce and copper edged down less than a penny to $2.73 a pound.

In other energy trading on the NYMEX:

1. Wholesale gasoline rose 2 cents to close at $1.759 a gallon.
2. Heating oil fell 2.9 cents to close at $1.727 a gallon.
3. Natural gas fell 9.1 cents to close at $2.528 per 1,000 cubic feet, the lowest since June of 2012.

AP writer Carlo Piovano contributed to this report from London.

Holyoke Police Chief James Neiswanger said he does the best he can within union contract rules and state law.

This is a follow up to a story about the Holyoke police union vote posted earlier Thursday.

HOLYOKE -- Officer Edward J. Moskal said Thursday (April 9) the no-confidence vote the patrol union took in Police Chief James M. Neiswanger was as difficult as it was necessary.

"Basically, it's a lot frustration. We didn't take it lightly. I think that's why there was some resistance among some of the guys," said Moskal, president of Local 388, International Brotherhood of Police Officers.

In a March 5 letter to Neiswanger, the union outlined complaints against the chief, including how:

--Neiswanger made a press-conference spectacle of an officer fired for illegal drug use last year;

--issued discipline of officers unfairly, including in relation to an officer fired in November for pulling out his gun in an argument with other officers at a restaurant and a sergeant who misplaced two weapons both of which were recovered;

--made staffing decisions and promotions unfairly;

--allows supervisors to consume too much of a limited overtime budget;

--used reserve officers improperly;

--showed only "muted support" for officers after a march downtown and at the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside in December in relation to police treatment of blacks nationwide included anti-police chants.

Neiswanger showed some willingness to communicate more but ultimately, the feeling persisted the union's concerns weren't being treated seriously enough, Moskal said.

The union voted 38-24 in favor of the no-confidence motion against Neiswanger on April 1, meaning 62 of the 79 members participated in the step, he said.

"I feel bad about it," said Moskal, a 32-year veteran who plans to retire in a year or so.

"I try to tell the younger guys, 'I hope you don't have negative ramifications from this,'" Moskal said.

Neiswanger, who has been chief since 2011, responded to the union with a March 11 letter that said he has done his best working within contract rules and state laws.

"As chief, I have to make business decisions that can be unpopular. Sometimes there are issues that are beyond my control," Neiswanger said.

"In the past three and a half years I have administered discipline to members of all three unions a number of times. Unfortunately, I have had to recommend the separation of a few employees. Based on your letter, I think some people have this misperception about unequal treatment when they do not have all the facts.

"I do my best to listen to treat everyone fairly across the board and work within the guidelines of the collective bargaining agreements, Civil Service law and the laws of the Commonwealth. I understand that you do not always agree with my decisions," Neiswanger said.

Moskal provided copies of the union's and Neiswanger's letters.

Neiswanger couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Mayor Alex B. Morse praised Neiswanger, said the city was lucky to have him and the chief has his full support.

Neiswanger, 52, took over as chief from the retired Anthony Scott in July 2011, having been a captain with the Police Department in Manchester, Conn., where he was born and raised.

He is in the first year of a three-year contract extension he signed last summer that will keep him head of the Police Department at $143,000 a year until 2017.

In June, officials announced at a press conference in Morse's City Hall office that a police officer and a firefighter had resigned in relation to a criminal drug investigation by the Massachusetts State Police.

At least one of the drugs in the probe was suboxone, a medication approved for opiate addiction.

Neiswanger said during the press conference, "The Holyoke Police Department and the Holyoke Fire Department do not tolerate drug usage by any of our employees, and we take a very aggressive stance on that issue."

In the March 5 letter to Neiswanger, Moskal said the press conference gave the perception that the problem of illegal drug use included more than just the one officer who resigned. The union doesn't condone the use of illegal drugs or misuse of any substance, but if an officer has such a problem, he or she should be provided help as outlined in the union contract, he said.

"They should not be treated as an opportunity for the Chief to present his Zero-Tolerance policy at a press conference," Moskal said.

In his March 11 response to the union, Neiswanger said if someone has a substance abuse problem, the time to come forward is not when they are caught or right before they are to submit to a drug test.

"However, once they have crossed the line, I will not tolerate the use of illegal drugs. We are armed law enforcement professionals entrusted with enforcing the law. We must be able to police or profession and if we cannot, we shall lose the public's trust in us," Neiswanger said.

On Nov. 14, Morse upheld a recommendation from Police Chief James M. Neiswanger and fired Police Officer John Wieland for pulling out his gun in an Aug. 18 incident with three other officers at Denny's restaurant here.

Moskal said Wieland and the other three officers involved in the incident were forthright about what happened. Wieland understood his actions were wrong and he should have been allowed to enter counseling instead of losing his job, a firing the union considered "excessive and unfair," Moskal said.

In contrast, Moskal said, Neiswanger issued only suspensions without pay to Sgt. John Hart both times that Hart misplaced department-issued firearms, an unfair use of "progressive discipine" of employees.

"Members believe that some of the discipline handed out has not been done in a fair or equitable manner leading to the poor morale that currently exits," Moskal said.

Regarding Wieland, Neiswanger said, "I can't have officers drawing their weapons out of anger and allowing them to point them at other people that are not threatening them with grave bodily harm."

Regarding Hart, Neiswanger said his misplacement of the guns was accidental.

"There is clearly a distinct difference. I understand that you disagree with my decision. You are entitled to your opinion but at the end of the day, that was my decision," Neiswanger said.

As for use of overtime, reserve officers and promotions, Moskal said, the union understands the city is struggling with tight finances but decisions are being made unfairly.

The anti-police chants shouted at the "black and brown lives matter" demonstrations were met with a resolution of support for police issued by the City Council but little public support from police leadership, Moskal said.

"The men and women who comprise the membership of the IBPO Local 388 Patrolman's Union are frustrated and angered by perceived notions of unequal treatment and a lack of respect from Department management. Frustration and anger are at their highest, while morale is at its lowest," Moskal said.

Neiswanger said that he expects use of overtime for supervisors will decrease after recent promotions in rank and that promotions help in delivering services to the community and the union membership by opening slots for advancement.

As for the demonstrations, Neiswanger said, such groups were looking to antagonize police.

"The strategic and common sense approach in these matters is to allow people their right to free speech and not interfere unless people are getting hurt or property damaged. I believe our officers showed great restraint under difficult times and I am proud of them," Neiswanger said.

The 101st Airborne Division said Thursday that 22-year-old Spc. John M. Dawson of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, died Wednesday in Jalalabad.

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — A Fort Campbell soldier has been killed in Afghanistan.

The 101st Airborne Division said Thursday that 22-year-old Spc. John M. Dawson of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, died Wednesday in Jalalabad of wounds suffered when he was attacked by small arms fire while he was on an escort mission.

Dawson was assigned to 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, as a combat medic. He joined the Army in 2012 and was stationed at Fort Campbell in January 2013.

Survivors include his parents, Rhonda J. Dawson and Michael J. Dawson of Whitinsville.

 

Class members objected to male corrections officers holding cameras to memorialize strip searches, although they had been instructed to film the process without looking, according to lawyers for Hampden County Sheriff Michael Ashe.

SPRINGFIELD - More than 170 former inmates of the Western Massachusetts Regional Women's Correctional Center have reached a preliminary settlement in a class action lawsuit against the Hampden County Sheriff's Department over strip search procedures at the Chicopee jail.

The plaintiffs settled for $675,000 with $500,000 going to attorney's fees and expenses. Of the balance, $20,000 will go to lead plaintiff Debra Baggett, four additional plaintiffs who were deposed in the case will receive $2,000 each and the rest of the class members will receive around $850 apiece, according to the settlement.

Lawyers and two of the plaintiffs, including Baggett, appeared in U.S. District Court on Thursday for a hearing during which attorneys from both sides asked Judge Michael A. Ponsor to approve the preliminary settlement.

Class members objected to male corrections officers holding cameras to photograph strip searches, although they had been instructed to film the process without looking, according to lawyers for Hampden County Sheriff Michael J. Ashe Jr.

The plaintiffs argued the strip search video process was nonetheless degrading and unnecessary and violated their constitutional rights.

"This is a good day but I know there are better days on the horizon," Baggett said after the court hearing. "These ladies are coming out of prison traumatized and belittled ... In the meantime pompous blowhards get to have clambakes and tell everyone what great fellows they are."

Baggett was referring to Ashe's annual clambake, which historically has drawn politicians all the way up to sitting governors and every candidate and incumbent in between.

However, Ponsor recognized Ashe as a "progressive and compassionate sheriff" during the hearing.

Afterward, Theresa Finnegan, an attorney for Ashe, said the case has never been about male staff leering at women during strip searches, in the jail's estimation.

"There was never any credible evidence that any male broke policy and training and observed any portion of a strip search," Finnegan said. "This included thousands of pages of paperwork, several depositions, interviews with prior inmates and staff. There were no written grievances that it happened by any inmate."

Finnegan also said that the jail began revamping its policies around strip searches by shuffling staff in 2010, and that no male staffed had manned cameras in that context since 2013.

The plaintiffs were represented by Howard Friedman and David Milton of Boston.

Baggett called them "Neiman Marcus attorneys that ended up accepting a WalMart price."

The lawsuit was filed in 2011.

The final phase of Boston Marathon bomber Dzohkhar Tsarnaev's trial will be in many ways like the first phase.

BOSTON -- The next phase of Boston Marathon bomber Dzohkhar Tsarnaev's trial will, in many ways, be like the first phase.

The sentencing portion of the trial, likely to start sometime early next week, is like an entirely new trial with opening and closing statements, witnesses, cross examinations and a period of deliberation by the jury. The government is expected to argue strongly for the death penalty for Tsarnaev while his defense team was largely brought onboard to spare him from lethal injection.

The first several days of the sentencing phase of the trial will be like the first several days of the conviction phase: emotional, grueling and graphic. Victims are expected to testify about their injuries and what their experience was like on the day of the bombings. The witness list is not available to the public, but it is likely that we will see some of the victims that testified during the conviction phase return to the stand.

The government could argue, too, that the bombs used in the attack were designed not only to kill people but do so in the most painful and brutal way possible. The horrific death of Martin Richard will surely take center stage in their arguments, though it is unknown if his parents will take the stand again.

The defense is likely to do all they can to pin the bombings on Tsarnaev's brother, Tamerlan. They were unsuccessful in convincing the jury in the conviction phase of his brother's efforts in the attacks, but jurors may have not seen their complete presentation. The rules are looser for what attorneys can argue during sentencing, so the defense will not be as impaired by rulings that limited them in the conviction phase.

When the defense and government are done with closing arguments, the case will go to the jury where they will deliberate on how to sentence him. The jury has to deliver a unanimous decision if they want to sentence him to death otherwise he ends up with life in prison.

If Tsarnaev is sentenced to life in prison, he will likely spend his days in the Administrative Maximum Facility supermax prison in Florence, Colorado. The prison was recently profiled in the New York Times Magazine as the "America's Toughest Prison" and currently houses the "worst of the worst" of America's convicted criminals.

Nelson Rios, of 196 Nursery St., was ruled too dangerous for release following a hearing in Springfield District Court.

SPRINGFIELD - A judge denied bail Thursday for a Springfield man arrested three times in six weeks on charges ranging from illegal gun and drug possession to attempted rape.

Nelson Rios Jr., 23, of 196 Nursery St., was ruled too dangerous for pretrial release following a hearing in Springfield District Court.

The ruling by Judge William Hadley means that Rios will be held without right to bail at the Hampden County House of Correction for the next 120 days. Under state law, Rios can request another bail hearing once the 120-day period has passed.

Hampden Assistant District Attorney Dan Daley requested the detention order based on an alleged domestic assault case involving Rios on March 20. The charges in that case include assault with intent to rape, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation or suffocation, witness intimidation.

In a more recent case, Rios and his brother, Lee M. Rios, were charged with drug and firearms offenses on April 2 during a raid on their Nursery Street apartment. In addition, Lee Rios was arrested on a murder warrant for the death of 18-year old Kenneth Lopez on March 25, the city's eighth homicide of 2015.

That arrest was the third for Rios in three months. During a 41 day period, he picked up 21 charges - an average of nearly one new charge every two days, according to court records.

During Thursday's hearing, Rios was represented by defense lawyer Aliki Recklitis.

The judge continued the case for a pretrial hearing on May 8.

His brother, meanwhile, is being held without right to bail on the murder charge.

During the raid at the brothers' apartment, Springfield detectives found two handguns, 16 grams of cocaine packaged for sale, an undisclosed amount of marijuana packaged for sale, as well as drug paraphernalia, digital scales and packaging materials, according to court records.

One of the guns was found inside a child's room, the documents show.