Rolling Stone says its cover story on Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev falls within the traditions of journalism and the magazine's commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage.
The cover is a photo in which Tsarnaev looks more like a rock star than a suspect in a bombing. A preview on the magazine's website says the story traces how "a bright kid with a charming future became a monster."
Rolling Stone editors said in a statement that Tsarnaev is in the same age group as many of its readers, making it important for the magazine to examine the complexities of the issue.
Both the CVS pharmacy chain and Rockland, Mass.-based convenience store chain Tedeschi Food Shops say they won't carry the magazine. Tsarnaev has pleaded not guilty.
Read the statement below:
Our hearts go out to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing, and our thoughts are always with them and their families. The cover story we are publishing this week falls within the traditions of journalism and Rolling Stone’s long-standing commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage of the most important political and cultural issues of our day. The fact that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is young, and in the same age group as many of our readers, makes it all the more important for us to examine the complexities of this issue and gain a more complete understanding of how a tragedy like this happens. –THE EDITORS
