Boston Marathon Bombing: Two Years On
It’s been almost two years since the tragic Boston Marathon bombing, which happened on the 15th of April 2013. Has there been any development on the case? Will justice be granted to the victims and their families? And more importantly, will those responsible be finally put to justice?
The prime suspects of the bombing are brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Tamerlan was killed as he was allegedly run over by his brother with an SUV after being shot multiple times by the police on April 19, 2013. Dzhokhar was apprehended. Currently, he is on trial for the incident.
Recently, a federal judge in Boston refused to delay Dzhokhar’s trial. After the terrorist attacks in France, there was no reason to prolong the case. There’s also the possibility that Dzhokhar might get a death sentence—that is, if the court finds him guilty. The thought of death penalty became ever so viable, seeing Tsarnaev’s lack of remorse.
About 1,350 prospects filled out questionnaires required for them to serve as jurors in Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s case. They would be narrowed down into 12, which is what the court requires. The jurors would be a major determining factor in judging if whether or not the suspect is guilty. Thus, Tsaenaev’s life depends on their collective decision—apart from the ruling of the judge.
There are those who oppose death penalty, except when necessary. For instance, if the person has been deemed a threat to the lives of the innocent, then the best approach would be to simply put him down. If Tsarnaev is considered a danger to those around him, then perhaps a death sentence would be in order, yet one can’t say for certain. But as stated, his lack of remorse should very well be considered a huge aspect in the decision of the court.
What will the future hold for the case? With one of the brothers dead and the other, in court, perhaps justice will be served at last. The Boston Marathon bombing took three lives and injured 260 people. And with the recent incident involving the shooting at the headquarters of the French satire magazine Charlie Hebdo, citizens may well be more vigilant of future terrorist attacks.