Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev returned to court Thursday for the first time since he was arraigned in July 2013.

Security was tight at the federal courthouse in Boston for the final pretrial conference before his trial begins next month.

Tsarnaev, 21, was led into the courtroom by U.S. marshals. He was wearing a black sweater and gray trousers and had a scruffy beard. He smiled to his attorneys and one patted him on the arm.

The courtroom was packed with FBI agents, police who worked on the case and more than a dozen survivors and family members.

Three people were killed and more than 260 were injured when two bombs exploded near the finish line of the April 2013 marathon. Tsarnaev, who has pleaded not guilty to 30 federal charges, faces the possibility of the death penalty if he is convicted.

At his last court appearance nearly 1 1/2 years ago, Tsarnaev still bore signs of the bloody standoff with police that led to his capture and the death of his older brother, Tamerlan. His left arm was in a cast and his face was swollen. He appeared to have a jaw injury.

At least one victim who lost a leg in the bombings, Marc Fucarile, arrived at court early Thursday. Protesters who said they wanted to ensure that Tsarnaev gets a fair trial were also outside court.

It was Tsarnaev’s last scheduled court hearing before jury selection begins on Jan. 5. The trial is expected to last several months. Seating a jury alone could take several weeks to a month.

Judge George O’Toole Jr. questioned Tsarnaev about whether he had waived his right to appear at previous hearings. Tsarnaev answered in a clear voice: “Yes, sir.”

Asked by the judge if his lawyers had acted in his best interests, he said: “Very much.”

O’Toole said he remains concerned about disclosures in the media that possibly could have come from law enforcement sources. But he said prosecutors have responded to Tsarnaev’s lawyers’ complaints, reinforcing that officials shouldn’t be talking to reporters.

(AP)