Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Speaks to Victims at Sentencing
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev speaks at his sentencing hearing on June 24, 2015. Sketch by Jane Flavell Collins/AP
Convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev finally spoke to his victims Wednesday afternoon, gathered in federal court for the 21-year-old’s formal sentencing. In a twist, defense attorney Judy Clarke announced that Tsarnaev would speak, moments after the court reconvened from recess.
Here are Tsarnaev’s full remarks according to the transcript:
Thank you, your Honor, for giving me an opportunity to speak. I would like to begin in the name of Allah, the exalted and glorious, the most gracious, the most merciful, “Allah” among the most beautiful names. Any act that does not begin in the name of God is separate from goodness.
This is the blessed month of Ramadan, and it is the month of mercy from Allah to his creation, a month to ask forgiveness of Allah and of his creation, a month to express gratitude to Allah and to his creation. It’s the month of reconciliation, a month of patience, a month during which hearts change. Indeed, a month of many blessings.
The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said if you have not thanked the people, you have not thanked God. So I would like to first thank my attorneys, those who sit at this table, the table behind me, and many more behind the scenes. They have done much good for me, for my family. They made my life the last two years very easy. I cherish their company. They’re lovely companions. I thank you.
I would like to thank those who took time out of their daily lives to come and testify on my behalf despite the pressure. I’d like to thank the jury for their service, and the Court. The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said that if you do not — if you are not merciful to
Allah’s creation, Allah will not be merciful to you, so I’d like to now apologize to the victims, to the survivors.
Immediately after the bombing, which I am guilty of — if there’s any lingering doubt about that, let there be no more. I did do it along with my brother — I learned of some of the victims. I learned their names, their faces, their age. And throughout this trial more of those victims were given names, more of those victims had faces, and they had burdened souls.
Now, all those who got up on that witness stand and that podium related to us — to me — I was listening — the suffering that was and the hardship that still is, with strength and with patience and with dignity. Now, Allah says in the Qur’an that no soul is burdened with more than it can bear, and you told us just how unbearable it was, how horrendous it was, this thing I put you through. And I know that you kept that much. I know that there isn’t enough time in the day for you to have related to us everything. I also wish that far more people had a chance to get up there, but I took them from you.
Now, I am sorry for the lives that I’ve taken, for the suffering that I’ve caused you, for the damage that I’ve done. Irreparable damage.
Now, I am a Muslim. My religion is Islam. The God I worship, besides whom there is no other God, is Allah. And I prayed for Allah to bestow his mercy upon the deceased, those affected in the bombing and their families. Allah says in the Qur’an that with every hardship there is relief. I pray for your relief, for your healing, for your well-being, for your strength.
I ask Allah to have mercy upon me and my brother and my family. I ask Allah to bestow his mercy upon those present here today. And Allah knows best those deserving of his mercy. And I ask Allah to have mercy upon the ummah of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Amin. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.
Thank you.
Judge George O’Toole formally sentenced Tsarnaev to death on six counts, and life in prison on 20 counts. On May 15, a jury unanimously recommended the death penalty after 15 hours of deliberation, exactly two years and one month after the bombings on Boylston Street.
In addition, Tsarnaev owes $3,000 in fines and $100 for each of the 26 counts. He will be moved to federal prison in Terra Haute, Indiana while he awaits his appeal.
Digital News Editor Garrett Quinn contributed to this story from Moakley Courthouse.
