Massachusetts hasn't had the death penalty in decades.
Should an exception be made for Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev if he is convicted?
It's an option, since Tsarnaev will be tried in federal court.
Stateline, the Pew Charitable Trusts' news service, explored the question on Wednesday.
"So far, no Massachusetts authorities have publicly objected to a potential death sentence, but the case does raise federalism questions, Doug Berman, a law professor at the Moritz College of Law at the Ohio State University and the editor of the blog, Sentencing Law and Policy," Stateline wrote.
"There is an understanding that federal authorities should be cautious before pursuing the death penalty in a non-death penalty state, said Berman. 'But it’s well established that the federal government and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are separate sovereigns and each side has the right to vindicate its interest,' he said."
Should Tsarnaev get the death penalty if he's convicted? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.