A jury is to decide whether a Chechen-born American student will face the death penalty after they found him guilty on 30 charges connected to the Boston Marathon bombing.

Lawyers for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (21) argued although he was involved, he'd been radicalised by his older brother - who died in a subsequent police shootout.

He did not react as the jury read out the guilty verdicts in front of victims' relatives and survivors of the April 15th 2013 bombings that killed three people and injured 264 others.

Seventeen of the 30 charges carry a possible death sentence.

Tsarnaev was also found guilty of the fatal shooting of MIT police officer Sean Collier.

Jurors will determine sentencing upon completion of a penalty phase, during which the panel will hear additional testimony.

The defence has not indicated whether Tsarnaev will take the stand during the second phase of the trial.

Jurors took a little more than 11 hours over the course of two days to reach a verdict. The panel reached its decision one week shy of the bombings' second anniversary.

The jury will reportedly make a decision next week.

Reporter with the Boston Globe, Kevin Cullen, told Newstalk Breakfast the jury has to decide whether Tsarnaev will face life in prison or the death penalty.