The controversy over the decision to put Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on the cover of Rolling Stone is continuing, with the magazine defending its position and a police officer facing suspension after releasing previously unseen photos of the accused Boston bomber on the night of his arrest.
Photos of Tsarnaev have appeared widely in newspapers and magazines, but the particular outcry over the Rolling Stones image seems to be that it is flattering, with Tsarnaev shown in soft focus and looking like a young rock star.
The photo so outraged Sgt. Sean Murphy, an officer with the Massachusetts State Police, that he released his own photos to Boston Magazine.
The photos show the moments leading up to Tsarnaev’s arrest on April 19. In some of the images, Tsarnaev is shown with the red laser of a sniper rifle on his head.
Murphy has since been suspended.
In a statement, the editors of Rolling Stone said “the fact that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is young, and in the same age group as many of our readers, makes it all the more important for us to examine the complexities of this issue and gain a more complete understanding of how a tragedy like this happens.”
The cover story, written by Janet Reitman, “falls within the traditions of journalism and Rolling Stone’s long-standing commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage of the most important political and cultural issues of our day,” the editors said.
“Our hearts go out to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing, and our thoughts are always with them and their families.”
On April 15, two bombs placed in pressure cookers exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring more than 260.
Tsarnaev and his older brother Tamerlan, 26, were named as the suspects and a police chase ensued four days later. Tamerlan died in a shootout with police and Dzhokhar who sustained multiple injuries was captured by law enforcement officials in a town outside of Boston.
Earlier this month, he pleaded not guilty to all 30 charges including a weapon of mass destruction.
With files from Showwei Chu