Boston bomber Tsarnaev breaks down in court as relatives testify

Convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has cried in court in a rare display of emotion as relatives urged the jury to spare his life.

Tsarnaev, who has maintained a stoic demeanour throughout the court proceedings, broke down on Monday when an aunt testified.

A jury is deciding whether the 21-year-old should be put to death for carrying out the bombing with his brother.

Three people were killed and 264 other were injured in April 2013 blast.

The aunt, Patimat Suleimanova, sobbed uncontrollably and could only answer a few basic questions about Tsarnaev.

As Judge George O'Toole Jr suggested that Suleimanova step down from the witness stand to compose herself, Tsarnaev wiped away tears from his eyes with a tissue.

His lawyers have admitted he played a role in the attacks but argue that his older brother, Tamerlan, was the driving force.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev died days after the bombings following a shootout with police.

Five family members - three cousins and two aunts - took the witness stand on Monday. The relatives said that they had not seen Tsarnaev since he moved to the US from Chechnya when he was eight.

One cousin told the court that Tsarnaev was a gentle child and once cried while watching The Lion King.