# Explosions at Boston Marathon **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 15, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781 "2013-04-15T19:16:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 62
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1221 "2013-04-21T00:38:52Z")
For a bit of comedy relief, an amusing picture commenting on this situation I saw posted elsewhere: [Flawed Plan](http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/110/1/3/flawed_plan_by_jollyjack-d62e14l.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1222 "2013-04-21T00:39:53Z")
Yeah I was a little off. The bombing was Monday, apparently he attended parties and classes every day after that until Thursday. It’s still bizarre, to do something like that and act like nothing happened. I guess they thought they were going to get away with it and were too stupid to realize that just about every urban center these days is plastered with cameras. Link: [http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/20/us/boston-younger-brother/index.html?hpt=hp\_t1](http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/20/us/boston-younger-brother/index.html?hpt=hp_t1) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1223 "2013-04-21T00:48:55Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > For a bit of comedy relief, an amusing picture commenting on this situation I saw posted elsewhere: > > [Flawed Plan](http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/110/1/3/flawed_plan_by_jollyjack-d62e14l.jpg) I suspect that he was just looking for a warm place to die. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1224 "2013-04-21T00:51:03Z")
I’m still confused over the concern regarding the miranda warning. If it’s not made that works against the prosecution. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1225 "2013-04-21T00:53:48Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’m still confused over the concern regarding the miranda warning. If it’s not made that works against the prosecution. Maybe not in this case. At best (for the murderer) any testimony obtained before he was Mirandized couldn’t be used against him at a trial. They have ample evidence of his guilt and the reason to question him is to determine whether he had any help, or had planted bombs somewhere. They might lose a conspiracy charge or additional charges for attempted murder, but they have enough for conviction already. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1226 "2013-04-21T00:55:35Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > It’s still bizarre, to do something like that and act like nothing happened. I guess they thought they were going to get away with it and were too stupid to realize that just about every urban center these days is plastered with cameras. People tend to think they’re subtler and stealthier than they really are, and that the level of monitoring can’t possibly be as much as it really is. Helps catch a whole lot of criminals. The fascinating thing about it is that we are in a surveillance culture that emanates not from the government authorities but from our fellow citizens and merchants - witness the terabytes of video and photos that flooded the Task Force once they asked anyone who may have been filming near the blast sites to share their shots; much, likely most, of the security cam footage was not police cameras but those of private businesses. Just because there are not signs at every streetpost with “Big Brother Is Watching!” and police stopping random passerby to ask for papers doesn’t mean nobody is paying attenton. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1227 "2013-04-21T01:00:45Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’m still confused over the concern regarding the miranda warning. If it’s not made that works against the prosecution. Anything he says without a Miranda warning cannot be used as evidence in his trial. There is already a preponderance of evidence against him, and so anything he says now, without being read his rights, is a moot point. So, by not reading him his rights, that means he is not entitled to remain silent, nor is he entitled immediately to a lawyer. He can be tried on existing evidence only, and anything he says from this point forward cannot be used in his trial, but could help prevent further terrorist activities. That’s my dumb Canadian interpretation of the law. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1228 "2013-04-21T01:07:42Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > People tend to think they’re subtler and stealthier than they really are, and that the level of monitoring can’t possibly be as much as it really is. Helps catch a whole lot of criminals. > The fascinating thing about it is that we are in a surveillance culture that emanates not from the government authorities but from our fellow citizens and merchants - witness the terabytes of video and photos that flooded the Task Force once they asked anyone who may have been filming near the blast sites to share their shots; much, likely most, of the security cam footage was not police cameras but those of private businesses. Just because there are not signs at every streetpost with “Big Brother Is Watching!” and police stopping random passerby to ask for papers doesn’t mean nobody is paying attenton. I guess I should re-phrase: it’s not so bizarre that this guy tried to act normal in the hopes of not getting caught…it’s just that he was _able to_. There’s no way I could do that if I were to ever commit such a heinous act (I won’t!). ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1229 "2013-04-21T01:10:50Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > People tend to think they’re subtler and stealthier than they really are, and that the level of monitoring can’t possibly be as much as it really is. Helps catch a whole lot of criminals. In the now classic Dunning and Kruger study “Unskilled and Unaware of it” one of their examples is relevant IMHO: [http://www.cognizancemagazine.com/unskilled-unaware-dunning-kruger/](http://www.cognizancemagazine.com/unskilled-unaware-dunning-kruger/) > [@](#): > > _In 1995, McArthur Wheeler walked into two Pittsburgh banks and robbed them in broad daylight, with no visible attempt at disguise. He was arrested later that night, less than an hour after videotapes of him taken from surveillance cameras were broadcast on the 11 o’clock news. When police later showed him the surveillance tapes, Mr. Wheeler stared in incredulity. “But I wore the juice,” he mumbled. Apparently, Mr. Wheeler was under the impression that rubbing one’s face with lemon juice rendered it invisible to videotape cameras ( Fuocco, 1996 )._ > > The story above is from Unskilled and Unaware of It – the psychological study behind the Dunning-Kruger effect. Even though it sounds like a story from D.A.R.E. class, the authors cited Mr. Wheeler’s sober adventure to communicate that incompetent individuals are competent at two things – failing to recognize their shortcomings and overestimating their abilities. I do think that there were several “but I wore the juice!” moments coming from the bombers. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1230 "2013-04-21T02:41:54Z")
Doesn’t reading the Miranda rights just make the suspect aware of his rights? They don’t actually grant any rights. They are still his rights whether or not they read them to him. He can still remain silent and still has the right to an attorney. I thought the reading of the rights was just to avoid the issue of the suspect saying a lot of stuff and then later saying he didn’t know he could have remained silent or had an attorney. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1231 "2013-04-21T04:11:19Z")
I’m watching “48 Hours” now and they are reporting that according to doctors the throat wound in Dzhokhar Tzarnaev’s throat that is preventing him from speaking appears to be an exit wound in the back of his throat. Indicating that the bullet may have entered his mouth, suggesting that he may have stuck a gun into his mouth and attempted to commit suicide. ---
**Author:** ![mugaliens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@mugaliens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mugaliens)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1232 "2013-04-21T04:38:21Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I would think that you would work from the center outwards, or from one side to the other. Typically, they break things down into sectors, each sector of which has natural boundaries and few access points to other sectors. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1233 "2013-04-21T05:22:34Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > Doesn’t reading the Miranda rights just make the suspect aware of his rights? They don’t actually grant any rights. They are still his rights whether or not they read them to him. He can still remain silent and still has the right to an attorney. I thought the reading of the rights was just to avoid the issue of the suspect saying a lot of stuff and then later saying he didn’t know he could have remained silent or had an attorney. That is also my understanding: reading someone their Miranda rights does not _grant_ those rights, it informs them of them. ---
**Author:** ![EatTheSun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@EatTheSun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EatTheSun)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1234 "2013-04-21T05:33:21Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I’m watching “48 Hours” now and they are reporting that according to doctors the throat wound in Dzhokhar Tzarnaev’s throat that is preventing him from speaking appears to be an exit wound in the back of his throat. Indicating that the bullet may have entered his mouth, suggesting that he may have stuck a gun into his mouth and attempted to commit suicide. Ah, that makes sense. When all that was happening, my fiancé and I were listening to the police scanner and one of the officers mentioned a “Code 17”, which we looked up and found out was “attempted suicide”. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1235 "2013-04-21T05:43:17Z")
Fuck him if he never speaks again. The evidence as we understand it is overwhelmingly against him and his brother. Which makes their Father’s claim of them being framed all the more laughable. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1236 "2013-04-21T05:51:24Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Anything he says without a Miranda warning cannot be used as evidence in his trial. There is already a preponderance of evidence against him, and so anything he says now, without being read his rights, is a moot point. > > So, by not reading him his rights, that means he is not entitled to remain silent, nor is he entitled immediately to a lawyer. AFAIK the exception is to the rules for using answers given without the warning, not to the rights themselves. He still has the right to remain silent, but they just don’t have to tell him. If they’re correct that the public safety exception applies, his answers can be used against him. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1237 "2013-04-21T05:58:10Z")
> [@EatTheSun](#): > > Ah, that makes sense. When all that was happening, my fiancé and I were listening to the police scanner and one of the officers mentioned a “Code 17”, which we looked up and found out was “attempted suicide”. Well at least he tried to do one smart thing in his short life. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1238 "2013-04-21T06:08:50Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Fuck him if he never speaks again. The evidence as we understand it is overwhelmingly against him and his brother. Which makes their Father’s claim of them being framed all the more laughable. Well yes but it would be nice to know if he had friends in low places. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1239 "2013-04-21T06:11:07Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Fuck him if he never speaks again. The evidence as we understand it is overwhelmingly against him and his brother. Which makes their Father’s claim of them being framed all the more laughable. Well yes but it would be nice to know if he had friends in low places. It’s important that we learn the background of how this all came about. It helps the FBI refine their ability to profile other people planning the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![opossum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/2bfe46/32.png) [@opossum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/opossum)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/1240 "2013-04-21T06:11:51Z")
> [@Danja](#): > > Sure, there’s a valid loophole for not immediately informing him of his rights, and that’s fine by me. What’s not fine is treating an American citizen, out of uniform, on American soil, as an enemy combatant. Now is our chance to show the world that we’re different; we stick to our principles even in the face of heinous crime and ensure that all are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Suspending this core tenet of our society because a person’s crime is particularly atrocious sits poorly with me. I hope the bastard spends the rest of his life in jail, but only if convicted in court (a likely outcome even if he retains his Miranda rights). > > I’m glad it’s finally over. Hopefully this incident causes our policymakers to reflect upon the causes of home grown terrorism (even if influenced by sources abroad), and also forces our media to realize the circus that they’ve become. Does the fact that he is right now in a world-class hospital, receiving the best care that can be provided to him, doctors and nurses working around the clock to try to save his life, after he killed four innocent people and injured dozens more this week say anything to show the world we are different? Miranda warnings need to be read before custodial interrogations, if any statements made during the custodial interrogation are going to be presented in court against the person being interrogated. A custodial interrogation is one in which the person being interrogated can’t leave. There is no requirement to read Miranda warnings upon arrest. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781.md?page=61) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781.md?page=63)