The controversial Rolling Stone cover prompted the release Thursday of never before seen photos of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhohkar Tsarnaev on the night of his capture.
Boston Magazine published a series of photos of the manhunt taken by Sgt. Sean Murphy, a Massachusetts State Police tactical photographer. The images show a bloodied and defeated-looking Tsarnaev, moments before being taken into custody after hiding in a boat in the backyard of a house in Watertown, Massachusetts, the sniper’s red laser aimed straight at the center of his head.
“I hope that the people who see these images will know that this was real. It was as real as it gets,” Murphy told Boston Magazine. “This may have played out as a television show, but this was not a television show. Officer Dick Donohue almost gave his life. Officer Sean Collier did give his life. These were real people, with real lives, with real families.”
Rolling Stone caused an uproar with its latest issue, featuring a softly-lit selfie of Tsarnaev. Critics--and there are many--argued the magazine portrayed the 19-year-old as more rock-star than murder suspect who may have killed three people and wounded more than 260 in the April attacks, as well as killing Office Collier in the ensuring manhunt.
Murphy told Boston Magazine that “glamorizing the face of terror” is an “insult” to those in uniform and family members who have lost a loved one in the line of service.
Shortly after releasing the photos, Boston Magazine’s editor John Wolfson reported that Murphy has been “relieved of duty.” A hearing will reportedly he held next week to determine whether or not he should be fired.
Tsarnaev is scheduled to return to court on Sept. 23. He has pleaded not guilty to all 30 federal charges.