A Connecticut man who is serving 18 months on a federal conviction in Maine for threatening death against a the judge and prosecutor and an investigator in the sexual-abuse case that got him an addition 11 1/4 years in prison was indicted today for sending more threatening letters, this time in federal court in Boston - where an appeals court is currently considering his bids to reduce both those sentences. Read more.
The Boston Licensing Board today approved a plan to replace the closed Daily Catch at the Moakley Courthouse with a bar catering to hard chargers who need to unwind with a cocktail in hand as they watch the sun go down after a long day arguing in court or creating new wonder drugs in a nearby life-sciences lab. Read more.
The Keebler Elf General will be at the Moakley Courthouse tomorrow and so will protesters. The ACLU is organizing an Unwelcoming Party for Jeff Sessions, 2-4 p.m. on the sidewalk outside the courthouse.
Where's Don Henley when you need him?
A fed-up citizen provides evidence of just how trashy the news business is these days, with a complaint about the news crews covering the Tsarnaev trial:
The news trucks covering the courthouse leave all of their trash in trash bags on the sidewalk even when they leave their vans unattended for weeks at a time. The trash bags rip open and the trash goes everywhere. This has been going on for months. I have called the news stations and reported this to the city and no one has done anything. I walk by this everyday on my way to work. I have many photos of this disrespectful behavior.
John Costello photographed the Coast Guard patrol outside the Moakley Courthouse today as jury selection begins for the surviving Tsarnaev brother. He faces 30 counts that could mean the death penalty.
Sink hole behind Fed Courthouse Northern Av pic.twitter.com/aN6BYFCRHe
— John GrelandBPD (@captaingreland) March 12, 2014
The Boston Fire Department reports its hazmat team launched into action around 3:20 p.m. when somebody at the Moakley Courthouse reported a suspicious package. At 4:37, the department reported:
2 Haz Mat Techs are examining and have zero readings for hazards. Again, all precautionary right now.
An outraged citizen complains about TV news trucks parking on the sidewalks and median outside the Moakley Courthouse:
They should use meters and lots like citizens do!
The city has marked the case closed, says three vehicles got tickets.
Bulger in the morning, Tsarnaev in the afternoon. As Channel 25 shows us, it was a regular circus outside the Moakley Courthouse today, especially with a flying wedge of Konspiracy Kids in for the day to support the living Marathon suspect. Also on hand: cab-reservation service Hailo, which apparently thought tourists and Tsarnaev fans would prove good potential customers.
UPDATE: This just in from Hailo: "The street is on their regular route. They should NOT have stopped at the courthouse & we are as upset as you."
Updated.
A basement transformer fire forced the evacuation of the Moakley Courthouse this afternoon but caused no injuries.
The fire, reported around 4:15 p.m., went to a second alarm when the Boston Fire Department called in extra crews to evacuate courthouse workers.
Firefighters were unable to enter the transformer room for nearly an hour as they waited for NStar workers to arrive and shut off the power.
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