Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect Covers "Rolling Stone" Magazine

Rolling Stone Cover Controversy: Magazine Issues Statement, Defends "Thoughtful" Coverage: - it features Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and teases how he "became a monster" - the magazine has come out with an online statement.

As an editor's note to the Web version of the story, Rolling Stone writes:

“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. "

It continues:

Boston Marathon Bombing: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Claims Innocence

According to The Associated Press, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is up and walking and told his mother in a recent phone conversation that he's innocent of last month's Boston Marathon bombings. The chat took place last week, with reports confirming that Tsarnaev walked without a wheelchair for the first time since his arrest.

It was also the first and only time he has talked to his mother since he and his brother fled Boston police and helped shut down the city just a few weeks ago.

“He didn’t hold back his emotions, as if he were screaming to the whole world: What is this? What’s happening?” Tsarnaev says of her son's emotional state during the call. Tsarnaev allegedly said he's improving physically, but is struggling to comprehend what's going on.

Boston Bombing Suspects Planned Times Square Attack Next, According to Officials

The surviving Boston Marathon bombing suspect says he and his brother discussed attacking NYC's Times Square next, according to law enforcement officials.

The surviving suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, initially told investigators that they planned to go to New York to party after the Boston attack, the officials said.

The New York police commissioner also gave a similar account.

Under questioning, the officials said, Tsarnaev said that he and his deceased brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, discussed a follow-up attack on Times Square.