Learning Life Lessons

Federal prosecutors @DMAnews1 have asked for a 30 day extension to to file a petition for rehearing to determine whether to retry the penalty phase of #DzhokharTsarnaev after a court vacated the death penalty for the Boston Marathon Bomber.

US Attorneys @DMAnews1 wrote: “The process of determining whether to seek further review takes time, particularly in a case of this magnitude, because it requires input from various components within the Department of Justice.”

Statement from United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling

“After extensive deliberations, including consideration of the views of the many victims in this case, the Justice Department has decided to ask the Supreme Court to review the First Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision to reverse the death penalty, in an effort to preserve the jury’s verdict sentencing Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death. Our hope is that this will result in reinstatement of the original sentence and avoid a retrial of the death penalty phase.

First, we respectfully disagree with the merits of the appellate court’s decision. Second, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is an ideologically driven mass killer who, with his brother, detonated at the finish line of the Boston Marathon two home-made bombs specifically designed to rip people apart, killing three – a young boy and two women – maiming seventeen, and injuring hundreds; shot a police officer three times in the head so they could steal his sidearm; and exchanged thousands of rounds with police officers in Watertown. I have heard, and respect, the voices calling for the Department to drop its pursuit of the death penalty in this case. But the severity of Tsarnaev’s crimes place him in that narrow category of criminals for whom death is a proportional punishment. Some have argued that executing Tsarnaev will not deter others from pursuing similar crimes. But, ultimately, this decision is not about deterrence.  It is about justice.”

Statement from United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling

“After extensive deliberations, including consideration of the views of the many victims in this case, the Justice Department has decided to ask the Supreme Court to review the First Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision to reverse the death penalty, in an effort to preserve the jury’s verdict sentencing Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death. Our hope is that this will result in reinstatement of the original sentence and avoid a retrial of the death penalty phase.

First, we respectfully disagree with the merits of the appellate court’s decision. Second, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is an ideologically driven mass killer who, with his brother, detonated at the finish line of the Boston Marathon two home-made bombs specifically designed to rip people apart, killing three – a young boy and two women – maiming seventeen, and injuring hundreds; shot a police officer three times in the head so they could steal his sidearm; and exchanged thousands of rounds with police officers in Watertown. I have heard, and respect, the voices calling for the Department to drop its pursuit of the death penalty in this case. But the severity of Tsarnaev’s crimes place him in that narrow category of criminals for whom death is a proportional punishment. Some have argued that executing Tsarnaev will not deter others from pursuing similar crimes. But, ultimately, this decision is not about deterrence.  It is about justice.”

Statement from United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling

“After extensive deliberations, including consideration of the views of the many victims in this case, the Justice Department has decided to ask the Supreme Court to review the First Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision to reverse the death penalty, in an effort to preserve the jury’s verdict sentencing Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death. Our hope is that this will result in reinstatement of the original sentence and avoid a retrial of the death penalty phase.

First, we respectfully disagree with the merits of the appellate court’s decision. Second, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is an ideologically driven mass killer who, with his brother, detonated at the finish line of the Boston Marathon two home-made bombs specifically designed to rip people apart, killing three – a young boy and two women – maiming seventeen, and injuring hundreds; shot a police officer three times in the head so they could steal his sidearm; and exchanged thousands of rounds with police officers in Watertown. I have heard, and respect, the voices calling for the Department to drop its pursuit of the death penalty in this case. But the severity of Tsarnaev’s crimes place him in that narrow category of criminals for whom death is a proportional punishment. Some have argued that executing Tsarnaev will not deter others from pursuing similar crimes. But, ultimately, this decision is not about deterrence.  It is about justice.”

And what pray tell defines that “narrow category?” Is there a meter of sorts that you can purchase that signals when someone has entered that level of disgrace and vileness? Or is it truly just a matter of what a particular AG/prosecution “feels” about the crime (as implied in the initial statement)? Because that opens up a lot of other issues. Racial injustice comes to mind… I would argue that “justice” and revenge are mutually exclusive, but fuck me right?

Victims aren’t jury members for a reason. You don’t get to decide a person’s guilt if you were personally affected by the crime. We don’t let them hand down the sentence, so why should their thoughts be considered when choosing a defendant’s fate? Honest to God, I’m sorry they were hurt, but they aren’t impartial and have no business being involved in that kind of legal proceeding. They get to speak at trial if they so wish. Also, not every victim wants the DP, so are we just gonna use these people to get what we want: justifying the DP and making the public believe we’re just looking out for the victims best interests? Do we actually care about the opinions of those who wish to end this with LWOP and move on with their lives as best they can??? So no, it was never really about the victims. They’re just useful pawns (at least some- we can just ignore the ones that don’t help us, am i right? //sarc)

I and many others are satisfied with LWOP. Nothing sadder than living in a box for the rest of your life. LWOP, while definitely still harsh, allows for correction of mistakes. As long as Tsarnaev and anyone else, no matter how obviously guilty, is faced with the death penalty, there will still be innocent people executed. As long as how we “feel” about a particular crime factors into the penalty we assign to said crime, we’ll never have a truly impartial justice system.