WAGGA’S Rachel Glasson has mixed emotions about a United State's jury’s decision to execute 21-year-old Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
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Dr Glasson, who ran in the 2013, 2014 and 2015 marathons, said the penalty seemed at odds with Bostonians “peaceful and liberal” way of thinking.
“It’s sort of mixed feelings. This young person killed people and caused devastation to alot of people who had their limbs blown away,” Dr Glasson said.
“But at the same time, it seems excessive, to murder for murder.”
Dr Glasson said she had expected Facebook to “explode” with comments after the verdict was announced, but said her Boston friends had stayed quiet.
“I don’t think it sits with Boston. I know both liberal and conservative people there and they haven’t said much.”
The attack, which killed three people, sent shock-waves through the world and was the most devastating act of terror on US soil since the 2001 September 11 attacks.
“I can understand the need for revenge,” Dr Glasson said, but she questioned if death was the answer.
Dr Glasson suggested lifetime incarceration as a better alternative for Tsarnaev, than death by lethal injection.
“There’s a supermax prison in Colorado, people have said that would almost be worse than death.”
Dr Glasson had finished the Boston Marathon hours before the 2013 explosion.
She was walking near a Thai restaurant when she heard of the blast.
“It was a very emotional time,” she said.
She said talk about the terror attack had been scarce in Boston, as the trail was occurring at the time of the marathon.
“(The marathon’s) back to being a positive experience.
“There’s the Boston Strong movement and it’s sort of patriotic and continued from the year after the attack.”
Tsarneav was found guilty of placing a pair of homemade pressure-cooker bombs at the race's crowded finish line on April 15, 2013, as well as fatally shooting a policeman.
The jury deliberated for more than 15 hours before reaching a decision.
The death penalty remains highly contentious in Massachusetts, where Tsarneav’s trial took place. The penalty was abolished under state law in 1984. The city has not put anyone to death in 70 years.
Tsarneav was convicted under federal law, which still allows the death penalty. Since 1988 only three of the 74 people sentenced to death under federal law have been executed.
Dr Glasson said she would continue to run Boston, calling it a very special place.
