Tsarnaev Friend To Plead Guilty In Obstruction Case

Updated August 20, 2014

WBUR News & Wire Services

This undated photo added on April 18, 2013, to the VK page of Dias Kadyrbayev shows, from left, Azamat Tazhayakov and Kadyrbayev with Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in Times Square in New York. (VK/AP)

A friend of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is slated to plead guilty Thursday to charges of interfering with the investigation into the deadly attack.

Dias Kadyrbayev is charged with obstruction of justice and conspiracy for allegedly removing a backpack containing fireworks from Tsarnaev's dorm room after realizing he was suspected of carrying out the deadly 2013 attack.

The deal in the case of the former University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth student comes two weeks before he was scheduled to go on trial.

Another friend of Tsarnaev's, Azamat Tazhayakov, was convicted on similar charges last month.

His lawyer confirmed he intends to change his plea during a hearing Thursday at federal court in Boston, but wouldn't say whether he would plead guilty to one or both charges.

With reporting by The Assocaited Press and the WBUR Newsroom

This article was originally published on August 20, 2014.

Boston Marathon Bombings