Boston Marathon Bombing Victim Slams Dzhokhar Tsarnaev: 'You Are A Coward!'
Mar. 5 2015, Published 4:06 p.m. ET
A woman who lost a leg in the Boston Marathon bombing has a message to accused bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev: "You are a Coward!"
Rebekah Gregory posted a "Dear Dzhokhar" letter on Facebook after she finished her emotional testimony in Tsarnaev's trial Wednesday describing how being able to face him down in court has given her new courage. Gregory related that while they don't know each other — although his "stupid backpack" brushed against her just before the first blast — he has been in "almost every one of my nightmares."
"Up until now, I have been truly scared of you and because of this, fearful of everything else people might be capable of," Gregory writes. "But today, all that changed. Because this afternoon, I got to walk into a courtroom and take my place at the witness stand, just a few feet away from where you were sitting. (I was WALKING. Did you get that?) And today I explained all the horrific details, of how you changed my life, to the people that literally hold YOURS in their hands. That's a little scary right? And this afternoon before going in, I'm not going to lie..my palms were sweaty. And sitting up there talking to the prosecution did make me cry."
Gregory said her chance to testify against her attacker has helped her heal. "I looked at you right in the face....and realized I wasn't afraid anymore," she wrote. "And today I realized that sitting across from you was somehow the crazy kind of step forward that I needed all along. And I think that's the ironic thing that happens when someone intends something for evil. Because somehow, some way, it always ends up good."
- Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's Lawyers Want Guilty Verdict Overturned & New Trial Conducted Outside Of Boston
- Boston Bomber Sicko Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Laughs In Court Before Death Sentencing — Apologizes For 'Damage' Done
- Sentenced To Death -- Boston Marathon Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Given Death Penalty For Mass Attack -- 'No Reaction' To Verdict
Gregory then got personal toward the 21-year-old defendant: "But you are a coward. A little boy who wouldn't even look me in the eyes to see that. Because you can't handle the fact that what you tried to destroy, you only made stronger. And if your eyes would've met mine for just one second, you would've also seen that what you 'blew up' really did BLOW UP. Because now you have given me (and the other survivors) a tremendous platform to help others, and essentially do our parts in changing the world for the better."
"So yes...you did take a part of me. Congratulations you now have a leg up...literally. But in so many ways, you saved my life. Because now, I am so much more appreciative of every new day I am given. And now, I get to hug my son even tighter than before, blessed that he is THRIVING, despite everything that has happened."
"So now...while you are sitting in solitary confinement, (awaiting the verdict on your life), I will be actually ENJOYING everything this beautiful world has to offer. And guess what else? I will do so without fear....of YOU. Because now to me you're a nobody, and it is official that you have lost. So man that really sucks for you bro. I truly hope it was worth it."
Gregory signed her letter to Tsarnaev "Sincerely, Someone you shouldn't have messed with."
The Boston Marathon bombing trial opened this week with Tsarnaev's lawyer admitting to jurors that his client planted one of the bombs: "It was him," defense lawyer Judy Clarke said. The defense contends, however, that Tsarnaev was radicalized by his older brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who was later killed in a shootout with police.