On Thursday, Attorney General Eric Holder made it known that his office will seek the death penalty for alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokar Tsarnev. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick released a statement shortly thereafter, throwing the full weight of his support behind the AG’s decision.

Stated Governor Patrick,

One way or another, based on the evidence, Tsarnaev will die in prison. In each milestone of this case — today’s announcement, the trial and every other significant step in the justice process — the people hurt by the Marathon bombings and the rest of us so shocked by it will relive that tragedy. The best we can do is remind each other that we are a stronger Commonwealth than ever, and that nothing can break that spirit.

Of the 30 charges against Tsarnaev, 17 came with the possibility of the death penalty, the most prominent being use of weapons of mass destruction to kill. Tsarnaev and his older brother Tamerlan are the primary suspects behind the dual pressure cooker bombs that combusted at the end of the Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston Street in Downtown Boston.

The decision by Holder’s office was considered based on the number of tragic deaths (three at the scene, followed by the cold-blooded murder of anMIT Police Officer Sean Collier), the 264 injuries including multiple amputations, and the suspected premeditation meaning it was schemed and designed to create a maximum amount of suffering possible.

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