NEW VOICES: All Democratic Candidates for Massachusetts Governor Oppose Death Penalty for Tsarnaev

In a debate held by the Boston Globe, all five Democratic candidates for governor of Massachusetts said they oppose the death penalty for accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Candidate Don Berwick said, “The death penalty has no place in our jurisprudence.” Juliette Kayyem, in an earlier statement on her Facebook page, said, “I have, based on my principles and on my work in death penalty appeals litigation in Alabama, always opposed the death penalty.” The other candidates in agreement were Martha Coakley, Steve Grossman, and Joe Avellone. The current governor, Deval Patrick, has also said, “I am philosophically opposed to the death penalty.” Earlier, the Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker said he supports the decision to seek the death penalty against Tsarnaev.

(S. Ebbert, “All 5 Democratic gubernatorial candidates oppose death penalty for Marathon bomb suspect,” Boston Globe, February , 2014). See New Voices and Federal Death Penalty.