Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was charged by federal prosecutors in his hospital room Monday with using a weapon of mass destruction to kill.
The charges carry a possible death penalty.
Feds say Tsarnaev, 19, and his older brother set off the twin explosions at last week's race that killed three people and wounded more than 180. His older brother, Tamerlan, 26, died early Friday morning after a fierce gun battle with police in which the alleged peps threw homemade bombs at pursuing officers, The ENQUIRER reported previously.
Tsarnaev was listed in serious but stable condition at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, unable to speak because of a gunshot wound to the throat that is believed to be self-inflicted in a suicide bid.
The Obama administration had decided to prosecute in the federal court system instead of trying him as an enemy combatant in front of a military tribunal. This proceeding allows defendants usual U.S. constitutional protections.
Tsarnaev, an ethnic Chechen from Russia has lived in the United States for about a decade and is a naturalized U.S. citizen.
Under U.S. law, American citizens cannot be tried by military tribunals, White House spokesman Jay Carney told media.
Tsarnaev was charged by feds with using and conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction against persons and property, causing death.
He will also face state charges in connection with the shooting death of an MIT police officer.
Unable to speak, Tsarnaev is writing responses to queries posed by law enforcement.
