What To Expect As Debate About Tsarnaev's Death Sentence Resurfaces

The Justice Department will seek to reinstate the death penalty against Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. A three-judge appeals court panel overturned the sentence last month, ruling that the trial judge did not adequately question jurors. In a statement released Thursday night, U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said the Justice Department will go directly to the U.S. Supreme Court and ask justices to review that decision. Lelling said the department hopes to reinstate the original sentence, and avoid a retrial of the penalty phase.

Judge Nancy Gertner, a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School and a former federal judge, joined WBUR's Morning Edition to discuss.