BOSTON (
MyFoxBoston.com/AP) - Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev showed emotion for the first time in his federal death penalty trial, crying as his aunt took the stand and wiping his eyes repeatedly with a tissue. Tsarnaev also blew a kiss as the court broke for lunch Monday afternoon.
Patimat Suleimanova sobbed uncontrollably Monday as she looked at Dzhokhar sitting about 10 feet away from her. She hadn't yet begun to testify and had only answered questions about her name, her year of birth and where she was born.
After a few minutes, Judge George O'Toole Jr. suggested that the defense call a different witness so she could compose herself.
As she left the witness stand, sobbing loudly, Tsarnaev wiped tears from his face, using a tissue to wipe his eyes and nose.
Liz Norden, who is the mother of two bombing survivors and was in the courtroom Monday, called his reaction "troublesome."
"I sat through quite a bit of testimony of all of the survivors and their families. And that was so heartbreaking to see what people went through. And he never showed a care in the world," she said. "And then yet today when is family is there, and his aunt is crying on the stand, he was wiping away tears."
A prosecutor asked an earlier witness, Tsarnaev's cousin Raisat Suleimanova, if she believed that bombing innocent people is an act of kindness.
Suleimanova had testified to questions from the defense that Tsarnaev was a kind and warm child who brought out the kindness in others.
She also said Tsarnaev was so gentle that he cried while watching "The Lion King" with his aunt.
Tsarnaev's lawyer objected to Weinreb's question to the cousin, and she was not allowed to answer.
Suleimanova said she "categorically" rejects what he did, but he is part of the family.
"I came the for sake of my brother who I love," she said.
The 21-year-old Tsarnaev is accused along with his late brother of planting pressure-cooker bombs near the finish line of the 2013 marathon. Three people were killed and more than 260 were injured.
He was convicted last month of all the charges against him. The same jury will soon decide whether he is to be executed.
Tsarnaev's aunt Shakhruzat Suleimanova testifies.
