The parents of the youngest victim killed in the Boston Marathon bombing two years ago have said that they do not want the convicted bomber to get the death penalty.
Boston.com noted that in an essay penned by the parents of 8-year-old Martin Richard, Bill and Denise Richard said that they do not want Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to receive the death penalty.
“We know that the government has its reasons for seeking the death penalty, but the continued pursuit of that punishment could bring years of appeals and prolong reliving the most painful day of our lives,” the Richards wrote.
As previously reported, Tsarnaev was found guilty last week for the bombings that took place on April 15, 2013, when two pressure-cooker bombs exploded near the finish line of the marathon. The blasts left more than 260 injured and three dead. Richard was among those that were killed.
This year’s Boston Marathon will be held on Monday and the following day the death penalty phase of the trial will begin. If Tsarnaev is not sentenced to death, he will spend the rest of his natural life in prison.