Prominent death penalty attorney Judy Clarke joining Boston bombing suspect’s defense team

BOSTON — Prominent death penalty lawyer Judy Clarke is joining the team representing the suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings. Clarke worked in Spokane from 1992 to 2002 as the executive director of the Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington and Idaho. The appointment of Clarke, who’s now based in San Diego, was approved today by U.S. Magistrate Judge Marianne Bowler. Bowler denied a request from Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s public defender to appoint a second death penalty lawyer. Bowler says Tsarnaev’s lawyers could renew their motion to appoint another death penalty expert if Tsarnaev is indicted. The 19-year-old Tsarnaev has been charged with using a weapon of mass destruction during the April 15 marathon. Three people were killed and more than 260 injured when two bombs exploded near the finish line. Clarke’s clients have included Unabomber Ted Kaczynski; Susan Smith, who drowned her two children; and most recently Tucson, Ariz., shooter Jared Loughner. All received life sentences instead of the death penalty.