ICYMI: Sister of Marathon Bomber Victim Opposes Death Penalty

Image: Sean Collier

As the April 21 start date for the penalty phase of convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s trial looms, one individual with a singular perspective on the tragedy has advocated for Tsarnaev to spend the rest of his life in a jail cell, instead of being put to death.

“Whenever someone speaks out against the death penalty, they are challenged to imagine how they would feel if someone they love were killed,” wrote Jennifer L. Lemmerman, sister of late Somerville police officer Sean Collier in a since-removed Facebook post, according to the Boston Globe.

“I’ve been given that horrible perspective, and I can say that my position has only strengthened.”

Last week, Tsarnaev was convicted on 30 counts related to the infamous 2013 attack, including Collier’s murder. Collier was killed in Cambridge four days after the bombing, while Tsarnaev and older brother Tamerlan were on the run from authorities.

Collier was working as an MIT patrol officer at the time, and was posthumously sworn into the Somerville Police Department.

Along with the reported majority of Massachusetts residents, Lemmerman - who serves as an alderman in Melrose - would receive little satisfaction from Tsarnaev’s demise.

“I can’t imagine I’ll ever forgive him for what he did to my brother, to my family, and I’ll have to live with that for the rest of my life, whether he is on this earth or not,’’ she wrote.

“But I also can’t imagine that killing in response to killing would ever bring me peace or justice. Just my perspective, but enough is enough. I choose to remember Sean for the light that he brought. No more darkness.’’