More survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing are speaking out against the death penalty for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, whose trial is close to the penalty phase as the jurors will consider whether he should get life in prison or death.
According to Boston.com, Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, the couple who each lost limbs in the attack, struggled with their feelings about the man responsible for the bombings that left them wounded and killed three people.
Kensky testified during the trial, but when it came to the final decision that he is faced with, she said life without parole would give herself and her husband the opportunity to move on and make sure that Tsarnaev “disappears from our collective consciousness as soon as possible.”
As previously reported, the parents of eight-year-old victim Martin Richard also spoke out against the death penalty. They wrote in a letter that “the continued pursuit of that punishment could bring years of appeals and prolong reliving the most painful day of our lives.”
Kensky commented to the Globe that she was thankful the Richards had “bravely [taken] the lead in starting a public conversation around this important issue in a way that was elegant, respectful, and strong.”
Kensky recently underwent surgery to amputate her right foot after she continued to face complications from the bombing that took her left leg. The couple also understood that others may not agree with them, saying, “We hope you can understand and respect our position, and in return promise to continue to listen thoughtfully to opposing views as this public discourse continues.”