Prospect of 2nd Boston Marathon bomber trial brings anguish
But President Donald Trump tweeted on Sunday that the federal government must again seek the Death Penalty in a do-over of that chapter of the original trial." Yet, victims and their family members have long been divided over the death penalty for Tsarnaev. Others infuriated by the appeals court's decision say they are prepared to face Tsarnaev in court again, if need be. Liz Norden, whose two sons who each lost a leg, also hopes prosecutors continue to go after the death penalty. "I just think if we dont follow through with the death penalty in this type of crime, what would fit it?"
Ruling renews fairness debate in Boston Marathon bomber case
A federal appeals court has overturned the death sentence of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, Friday, July 31, 2020, saying the judge who oversaw the case didn't adequately screen jurors for potential biases. When it comes to death penalty cases, the U.S. Supreme Court has been much more pro-prosecution than many of the circuit courts, said Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. Should Friday's ruling stand, attention will shift to whether an impartial jury can be impaneled in a city still traumatized by the 2013 attack. Tsarnaev's defense team may renew its request to transfer the case out of Boston, where they have long contended public opinion is immutably slanted. Everybody in the community understands where Boston Strong came from, Dunham said.