Boston Bomber’s Fate: Death Penalty Too Good
THE ISSUE: The proper punishment for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev for the Boston Marathon bombing.
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to predict that 21yearold Dzhokhar Tsarnaev would be found guilty on all 30 counts in the Boston Marathon bombing (“Boston Strong,” Editorial, April 9).
No doubt it was a slamdunk. Nevertheless, putting Tsarnaev to death changes nothing and won’t do anyone any good. Executing Tsarnaev will only prove this: Society’s “eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth” mentality is what keeps the death penalty alive.
JoAnn Lee Frank
Clearwater, Fla.
Considering the people Tsarnaev murdered, the arms and legs his bombs blew off his other victims’ bodies and the hundreds he maimed and scarred for life, death — especially when quick and painless— would be too good for him.
But so would “life” in prison, where he would still be able to enjoy the pleasures of food, books, television, weightlifting, visitors, etc.
The only justice would be the Biblical “eye for an eye,” but Tsarnaev doesn’t have enough limbs or lives of his own to give up. And we’re too decent, humane and civilized for that anyway.
Still, if anyone ever deserved to be tortured, it’s him. It’s a shame there’s no way to get him to feel the pain, suffering and sorrow experienced by all his victims.
I can only hope that Tsarnaev feels guilt over having run over and killed his own brother. If I were his prison warden, I would make sure that every square inch of his prison cell’s four walls, floor and ceiling would permanently be covered with multiple, enlarged copies of the photo showing 8yearold secondgrader Martin Richard holding his own ironic “No more hurting people” poster.
Richard Siegelman
Plainview
As I read “Bomber Mama Goes Off,” it was easy to see why the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree ( April 10).
Typically, you are a direct reflection of your parents, so it’s clear where the Tsarnaev brothers got their anger toward the United States. Obviously, their mother has issues of her own with the United States, which should never be forgotten by this country. Joseph Cavaliere
Valley Stream
Tsarnaev is guilty. Even liberal Massachusetts will probably send him to the death chamber. Let’s see how much he loves death like we like life, as his radical Muslim ilk constantly proclaim.
Whenever deathpenalty opponents argue that life behind bars is worse than execution, it always strikes me as odd that those sentenced to death fight tooth and nail to stay alive as they exhaust the appeals process.
Tsarnaev should forego lengthy appeals and embrace the afterlife.
Brad Morris
Astoria
There should never be the death penalty, not even for Tsarnaev. It’s too damn good.
All felons, not just killers, should become slaves to pay society back: 1) work like dogs on chain gangs doing jobs we all need and hate; 2) give blood regularly to save lives, and half of their liver, which grows back; 3) be guinea pigs for all medical research, thus eliminating all animal testing ( how’s that, PETA?) and getting new medicines to market years sooner; 4) have their wills suspended or rescinded — if they die in prison, everything goes to victims first, the state second, and all organs go to those who need them.
If all this were law, imagine the deterrent effect.
J. Andrew Smith
Bloomfield, NJ
Two years after the terrorist bombing in Boston, a federal jury has convicted Tsarnaev of all 30 counts.
Yet, more than 14 years later, 9/ 11 terrorist Khalid Sheik Mohammed and his cohorts sit in military court in Guantanamo with more delays and no end in sight, still in pretrial hearings.
This is a travesty of justice and 9/ 11 family members like myself may never see justice.
Stop playing games with the judicial system and bring 9/ 11 terrorists to federal court in New York City, scene of the crime, for swift and certain justice.
Jim Riches
Brooklyn