Friend of Boston Marathon bomber convicted of lying

BOSTON -- A friend of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was convicted yesterday of lying to federal agents during the investigation into the deadly 2013 attack.

Robel Phillipos, 21, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, was convicted of two counts for lying about being in Tsarnaev's dorm room while two other friends removed a backpack containing fireworks and other potential evidence three days after the bombing. Authorities were looking for the suspected bombers.

Phillipos looked straight ahead impassively as the guilty verdicts were read.

FBI agents testified that Phillipos told them a string of lies about the night of April 18, 2013, before finally acknowledging he had been in Tsarnaev's room at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth with the two men who removed Tsarnaev's backpack and computer.

Phillipos' lawyers said he was a frightened 19-year-old who was intimidated by the FBI and too high on marijuana to clearly remember what he did that night. The defense called several friends who said Phillipos smoked marijuana a half-dozen times that day.

Phillipos' attorneys said they will ask the judge to vacate the convictions and also appeal the verdict based on their argument that any statements he made to the FBI were not "material" to the bombing investigation.

During the trial, prosecutors scoffed at Phillipos' marijuana defense, telling the jury that he was able to remember many details about April 18 and lied about his activities that night because he knew he had done something wrong.

After the guilty verdicts were announced, U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz said Phillipos "lied to agents when he could have helped" and "concealed when he could have assisted." The jury deliberated about 35 hours over six days.

The two friends who removed Tsarnaev's backpack were both convicted of conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

Phillipos' sentencing is scheduled Jan. 29, and he faces a maximum sentence of 16 years, though first-time offenders typically get much less.