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Trump demands reinstatement of death penalty for Boston bomber

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev - AFP
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev - AFP

Donald Trump has demanded the death penalty be reinstated for the Boston Marathon bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

A three-judge panel from the 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston upheld Tsarnaev’s conviction for the bombing, but ordered a new sentencing trial.

Three people were killed and more than 260 were injured in the April 2013 attack perpetrated by Tsarnaev and his older brother Tamerian, who died in a shootout with police.

Writing on Twitter, Mr Trump said: “Rarely has anybody deserved the death penalty more than the Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

“The court agreed that this ‘was one of the worst domestic terrorist attacks since the 9/11 atrocities’. Yet the appellate court tossed out the death sentence.

“So many lives lost ... and ruined. The Federal Government must again seek the death penalty in a do-over of that chapter of the original trial. Our country cannot let the appellate decision stand.

“Also, it is ridiculous that this process is taking so long!”

Tsarnaev was convicted on 30 charges, which included conspiracy and using a weapon of mass destruction.

Overturning the death sentence last week, the court ruled that the jury had not been vetted properly for possible bias.

However, it made clear that he would spend the rest of his life behind bars.

“Make no mistake,” the ruling stated. "Dzhokhar will spend his remaining days locked up in prison, with the only matter remaining being whether he will die by execution.”