Boston marathon bombing trial: Sister Helen Prejean of 'Dead Man Walking' says Dzhokhar Tsarnaev 'regrets his actions'

Activist adds her voice as defence rests its case

Sister Helen Prejean (Reuters)

The Catholic nun who inspired the film Dead Man Walking has told a court that Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev regretted his actions and believed that “no one deserves to suffer”.

As Tsarnaev’s lawyer completed their arguments to try and save the life of the 21-year-old, Sister Helen Prejean took to the stand to add her voice to those who had already testified on his behalf.

“He said it emphatically. He said no one deserves to suffer like they did,” she told the court in Boston on Monday, according to Reuters. “I had every reason to think that he was taking it in and that he was genuinely sorry for what he did."

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev had denied the multiple charges he faced

The federal jury found last month that 21-year-old ethnic Chechen guilty of killing three people and wounding 264 others with two home-made bombs will soon begin deliberating whether to sentence him to death or life in prison without possibility of release.

Ms Prejean, 76, a long-time opponents of the death penalty, said she had met with Tsarnaev five times this year. Tsarnaev has not spoken on his own behalf and is not required to do so.

Her fight against the death penalty and her role as a spiritual advisor to those on death row, formed the basis of her 1993 book Dead man Walking. It was subsequently turned into a film starring Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Tsarnaev and have argued that he and his elder brother conspired to punish the US for American military operations in Muslim countries.

By contrast, the defence has argued he was under the compelling influence of his brother, 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who died following a shoot-out with police on April 19, 2013.

Martin Richard was one of three people killed in the 2013 attack

Last week, defence lawyers called other witnesses, including Russian relatives of Tsarnaev who recalled him as a kind, loving child. They said they were fearful when Tamerlan and his mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaev, turned to militant Islam.

The trial has been painful for the city of Boston, which was rocked by the bomb attacks that struck its most famous public event. Despite that, many in the city believe Tsarnaev should be sent to jail, rather than executed.

Among those who have added their voices are the parents of eight-year-old Martin Richard, who was killed in the blast. They have said the convicted prisoner’s life should be spared.