OK Death Penalty Opponents - Now What ?

[CowboyTed]

Naw, I probably ignored it with m ost of the rest of your crazy.

The problem is, you can NEVER, EVER be 100% sure.

Yes you can. A video of someone murdering someone is 100% sure. Or a crime committed on national television, or in front of 50,000 people (as in a sports stadium) If we thought we couldn't "ever" be 100% sure, beyond a reasonable doubt, then nobody would ever be convicted of anything, and there would be no prisons either.

What the problem is, is that you want to allow convicted killers to have the opportunity to kill again, as they have often demonstrated that's exactly what will happen. Click link and LEARN.

http://www.wesleylowe.com/repoff.html

Do you know the mental health of the person shooting... Cops do it all the time and get away with it..

On top of that you don't know why he killed the man?

 

[Conservative65]

By your logic, every criminal should be auto-executed, lest they harm someone later.

Decent people reject that ogic.

Just those that deserve it.

Decent people don't dishonor the innocent lives these guys took to earn the death penalty by letting them live.

 

[Conservative65]

Protectionist, until we get it right on actually executing folks that are guilty 100% of the time, the slowdown will continue. Rightly so.

The problem is you assholes don't want to execute those where were 100% certain they did what they were found guilty of doing.

If these two kill anyone, it's on people like you. If you think gun makers should be held responsible for something over which they have no control when a person misuses a gun, those of you who oppose the death penalty should be even if you weren't on the jury.

 

[protectionist]

Your deflection is noted.

Take your question up with the juries that gave life.

YOUR deflection away from YOUR deflection is noted. So is your failure to answer the question, choosing instead to cut & run from it. And I'm taking up my question with YOU Jake. That's what you're here for. To debate, right ? Right Jake ? Right ?

So again >>What do death penalty opponents have to say about all the people who have been killed because the death penalty was not enacted ?

A List of Murderers Released to Murder Again!

 

[JakeStarkey]

Protectionist continues to deflect.

This is for the juries to decide.

 

[protectionist]

By your logic, every criminal should be auto-executed, lest they harm someone later.

Decent people reject that logic.

That 6 people agreed with this idiotic post (refuted on page 1) really shows how detached from reality liberals are, after years of liberal media programming. Sheeesh.

A List of Murderers Released to Murder Again!

 

[ChrisL]

Now that 2 convicted murderers have escaped from a maximum security prison, which hasn't had a prison break in all of its 150 year history, let's hear from the death penalty opponents, for what they might now do to protect all the people who are now threatened by these 2 escaped killers.

Had these two low-life killers been executed years ago, as they should have, and as other murderers have been executed in Florida and Texas, and other states which have the death penalty, this danger would not now exist. So since the opponents of the death penalty have stopped it from happening to these 2 killers (David Sweat & Richard Matt), they now partially bear the responsibility for what happens while these 2 are out running around, on the loose.

How many people will now lose their lives because all these do-gooders thought these 2 dirtbags had to be spared ? That's another question for the Death Penalty Opponents to answer.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/07/us/new...ty%20Opponents

Sure, if you put all your trust in government entities. The government should not be allowed to execute citizens.

DNA Exonerations Nationwide

There have been 337 post-conviction DNA exonerations in the United States.

• The first DNA exoneration took place in 1989. Exonerations have been won in 37 states; since 2000, there have been 263 exonerations.
• 20 of the 336 people exonerated through DNA served time on death row. Another 16 were charged with capital crimes but not sentenced to death.
• The average length of time served by exonerees is 14 years. The total number of years served is approximately 4,606.
• The average age of exonerees at the time of their wrongful convictions was 26.5.
Races of the 336 exonerees:
206 African Americans
104 Caucasians
25 Latinos
2 Asian American

• The true suspects and/or perpetrators have been identified in 166 of the DNA exoneration cases. Those actual perpetrators went on to be convicted of 146 additional crimes, including 77 sexual assaults, 34 murders, and 35 other violent crimes while the innocent sat behind bars for their earlier offenses.
• Since 1989, there have been tens of thousands of cases where prime suspects were identified and pursued—until DNA testing (prior to conviction) proved that they were wrongly accused.
• In more than 25 percent of cases in a National Institute of Justice study, suspects were excluded once DNA testing was conducted during the criminal investigation (the study, conducted in 1995, included 10,060 cases where testing was performed by FBI labs).
• 71 percent of the people exonerated through DNA testing have been financially compensated. 30 states, the federal government, and the District of Columbia have passed laws to compensate people who were wrongfully incarcerated. Awards under these statutes vary from state to state.
• An Innocence Project review of our closed cases from 2004 - 2010 revealed that 22 percent of cases were closed because of lost or destroyed evidence.
• The Innocence Project was involved in 177 of the 337 DNA exonerations. Others were helped by Innocence Network organizations, private attorneys and by pro se defendants in a few instances.
• 33 of the DNA exonerees pled guilty to crimes they did not commit.
- See more at: DNA Exonerations Nationwide

 

[protectionist]

Protectionist continues to deflect.

This is for the juries to decide.

YOU are the deflecter. You are cowardly running from my question, which you obvious can't answer.Instead you try to deflect the question to "juries". Do you come here to debate or not ? If so, then debate.

I challenged you with a question. Either you answer it or you;re a gutless coward and a phony trying to deflect to something about juries. And not a very good deflection. Laughable, frankly.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Your question is stupid, protectionists.

This is a matter for law and juries. You have an opinion, it is wrong, and so what.

 

[protectionist]

Sure, if you put all your trust in government entities. The government should not be allowed to execute citizens.

DNA Exonerations Nationwide

There have been 337 post-conviction DNA exonerations in the United States.

• The first DNA exoneration took place in 1989. Exonerations have been won in 37 states; since 2000, there have been 263 exonerations.
• 20 of the 336 people exonerated through DNA served time on death row. Another 16 were charged with capital crimes but not sentenced to death.
• The average length of time served by exonerees is 14 years. The total number of years served is approximately 4,606.
• The average age of exonerees at the time of their wrongful convictions was 26.5.
Races of the 336 exonerees:
206 African Americans
104 Caucasians
25 Latinos
2 Asian American

• The true suspects and/or perpetrators have been identified in 166 of the DNA exoneration cases. Those actual perpetrators went on to be convicted of 146 additional crimes, including 77 sexual assaults, 34 murders, and 35 other violent crimes while the innocent sat behind bars for their earlier offenses.
• Since 1989, there have been tens of thousands of cases where prime suspects were identified and pursued—until DNA testing (prior to conviction) proved that they were wrongly accused.
• In more than 25 percent of cases in a National Institute of Justice study, suspects were excluded once DNA testing was conducted during the criminal investigation (the study, conducted in 1995, included 10,060 cases where testing was performed by FBI labs).
• 71 percent of the people exonerated through DNA testing have been financially compensated. 30 states, the federal government, and the District of Columbia have passed laws to compensate people who were wrongfully incarcerated. Awards under these statutes vary from state to state.
• An Innocence Project review of our closed cases from 2004 - 2010 revealed that 22 percent of cases were closed because of lost or destroyed evidence.
• The Innocence Project was involved in 177 of the 337 DNA exonerations. Others were helped by Innocence Network organizations, private attorneys and by pro se defendants in a few instances.
• 33 of the DNA exonerees pled guilty to crimes they did not commit.
- See more at: DNA Exonerations Nationwide

1. Most of these exonertions are people who were convicted before DNA technology was perfected.

2. As I said, only those whose guilt is 100% positive should ever be executed. That's not who you are talking about.

3. Many more people have been killed by spared convicted killers, than people who were executed wrongly. Of course no one should be executed wrongly. Not ever. But I don't see one shred of notice from you abot all those thousands of people who have been killed because the death penalty was NOT enacted.

A List of Murderers Released to Murder Again!

 

[protectionist]

Your question is stupid, protectionists.

This is a matter for law and juries. You have an opinion, it is wrong, and so what.

Pretty feeble response, Jake. when YOU KNOW the question is not only NOT stupid, it is critical important. Here's another question for you. HOW MANY innocent people lives ARE YOU RISKING (suppose you're on one of those "juries"), by letting a convicted killer have the opportunity to kill again ? And this time, don't pretend it's not a valid question.

A List of Murderers Released to Murder Again!

BTW, the link has much more than just Murderers Released to Murder Again. It also contains examples of convicted killers who killed other prison inmates, and there's also those who order "hits" on people outside the prison. Wanna comment on those, also ? Cat got your tongue, today ?

 

[JakeStarkey]

My response was most appropriate, while yours was weak, weak, weak.

 

[ChrisL]

Sure, if you put all your trust in government entities. The government should not be allowed to execute citizens.

DNA Exonerations Nationwide

There have been 337 post-conviction DNA exonerations in the United States.

• The first DNA exoneration took place in 1989. Exonerations have been won in 37 states; since 2000, there have been 263 exonerations.
• 20 of the 336 people exonerated through DNA served time on death row. Another 16 were charged with capital crimes but not sentenced to death.
• The average length of time served by exonerees is 14 years. The total number of years served is approximately 4,606.
• The average age of exonerees at the time of their wrongful convictions was 26.5.
Races of the 336 exonerees:
206 African Americans
104 Caucasians
25 Latinos
2 Asian American

• The true suspects and/or perpetrators have been identified in 166 of the DNA exoneration cases. Those actual perpetrators went on to be convicted of 146 additional crimes, including 77 sexual assaults, 34 murders, and 35 other violent crimes while the innocent sat behind bars for their earlier offenses.
• Since 1989, there have been tens of thousands of cases where prime suspects were identified and pursued—until DNA testing (prior to conviction) proved that they were wrongly accused.
• In more than 25 percent of cases in a National Institute of Justice study, suspects were excluded once DNA testing was conducted during the criminal investigation (the study, conducted in 1995, included 10,060 cases where testing was performed by FBI labs).
• 71 percent of the people exonerated through DNA testing have been financially compensated. 30 states, the federal government, and the District of Columbia have passed laws to compensate people who were wrongfully incarcerated. Awards under these statutes vary from state to state.
• An Innocence Project review of our closed cases from 2004 - 2010 revealed that 22 percent of cases were closed because of lost or destroyed evidence.
• The Innocence Project was involved in 177 of the 337 DNA exonerations. Others were helped by Innocence Network organizations, private attorneys and by pro se defendants in a few instances.
• 33 of the DNA exonerees pled guilty to crimes they did not commit.
- See more at: DNA Exonerations Nationwide

1. Most of these exonertions are people who were convicted before DNA technology was perfected.

2. As I said, only those whose guilt is 100% positive should ever be executed. That's not who you are talking about.

3. Many more people have been killed by spared convicted killers, than people who were executed wrongly. Of course no one should be executed wrongly. Not ever. But I don't see one shred of notice from you abot all those thousands of people who have been killed because the death penalty was NOT enacted.

A List of Murderers Released to Murder Again!

There is also the expense to be considered. At one time, the death penalty was probably considered a necessary evil because of lack of facilities to house criminals. Nowadays, the death penalty cases cost us a shit ton of $$.

Costs of the Death Penalty | Death Penalty Information Center

Washington

A Seattle University study examining the costs of the death penalty in Washington found that each death penalty case cost an average of $1 million more than a similar case where the death penalty was not sought ($3.07 million, versus $2.01 million). Defense costs were about three times as high in death penalty cases and prosecution costs were as much as four times higher than for non-death penalty cases. Criminal Justice Professor Peter Collins, the lead author of the study, said, “What this provides is evidence of the costs of death-penalty cases, empirical evidence. We went into it [the study] wanting to remain objective. This is purely about the economics; whether or not it’s worth the investment is up to the public, the voters of Washington and the people we elected.” (Although Washington's death penalty was reinstated in 1981, the study examined cases from 1997 onwards. Using only cases in the study, the gross bill to taxpayers for the death penalty will be about $120 million. Washington has carried out five executions since reinstatement, implying a cost of $24 million per execution. In three of those five cases, the inmate waived parts of his appeals, thus reducing costs.) The study was not able to include the likely higher yearly incarceration costs for death row inmates versus those not on death row.

 

[amrchaos]

Maybe we should give up the death penalty and start human experimentation for the expansion of science?

That way, convicted murders can contribute something back to society through their punishment.

Who knows, convicted murderer #254376689 experiment with the prototype artificial liver might lead to a breakthrough that saves millions of lives.

By the way, human experimentation is not primitive. Primitives lacks scientific knowledge and can not conduct experimentation!!

Human experimentation is a monstrosity. Please use the correct descriptions. Our mad scientists will appreciate it.

 

[ChrisL]

Nevada

A recent study commissioned by the Nevada legislature found that the average death penalty case costs a half million dollars more than a case in which the death penalty is not sought. The Legislative Auditor estimated the cost of a murder trial in which the death penalty was sought cost $1.03 to $1.3 million, whereas cases without the death penalty cost $775,000. The auditor summarized the study's findings, saying, "Adjudicating death penalty cases takes more time and resources compared to murder cases where the death penalty sentence is not pursued as an option. These cases are more costly because there are procedural safeguards in place to ensure the sentence is just and free from error." The study noted that the extra costs of a death penalty trial were still incurred even in cases where a jury chose a lesser sentence, with those cases costing $1.2 million. The study was based on a sample of Nevada murder cases and include the costs of incarceration. Because certain court and prosecution costs could not be obtained, the authors said the costs were, "understated," and may be higher than the estimates given.

Kansas

Defending a death penalty case costs about four times as much as defending a case where the death penalty is not sought, according to a new study by the Kansas Judicial Council. Examining 34 potential death-penalty cases from 2004-2011, the study found that defense costs for death penalty trials averaged $395,762 per case, compared to $98,963 per case when the death penalty was not sought. Costs incurred by the trial court showed a similar disparity: $72,530 for cases with the death penalty; $21,554 for those without. Even in cases that ended in a guilty plea and did not go to trial, cases where the death penalty was sought incurred about twice the costs for both defense ($130,595 v. $64,711) and courts ($16,263 v. $7,384), compared to cases where death was not sought. The time spent on death cases was also much higher. Jury trials averaged 40.13 days in cases where the death penalty was being sought, but only 16.79 days when it was not an option. Justices of the Kansas Supreme Court assigned to write opinions estimated they spent 20 times more hours on death penalty appeals than on non-death appeals. The Department of Corrections said housing prisoners on death row cost more than twice as much per year ($49,380) as for prisoners in the general population ($24,690).

Idaho

A new, but limited, study of the costs of the death penalty in Idaho found that capital cases are more costly and take much more time to resolve than non-capital cases. One measure of death-penalty costs was reflected in the time spent by attorneys handling appeals. The State Appellate Public Defenders office spent about 44 times more time on a typical death penalty appeal than on a life sentence appeal (almost 8,000 hours per capital defendant compared to about 180 hours per non-death penalty defendant). Capital cases with trials took 20.5 months to reach a conclusion while non-capital cases with trials took 13.5 months. The study was commissioned by the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee and performed by the Office of Performance Evaluations.The study also noted how infrequently the death penalty was applied in Idaho: of the 251 defendants who were charged with first-degree murder since 1998, the death penalty was sought against 55 (22%) of them, and just 7 were sentenced to death. More than half of the 40 people sentenced to death since 1977 have received lesser sentences after their death sentences were overturned.

Colorado

​

A new study of the cost of the death penalty in Colorado revealed that capital proceedings requiresix times more days in court and take much longer to resolve than life-without-parole (LWOP) cases. The study, published in the University of Denver Criminal Law Review, found that LWOP cases required an average of 24.5 days of in-court time, while the death-penalty cases required 147.6 days. The authors noted that selecting a jury in an LWOP case takes about a day and a half; in a capital case, jury selection averages 26 days. In measuring the comparative time it takes to go from charging a defendant to final sentencing, the study found that LWOP cases took an average of 526 days to complete; death cases took almost 4 calendar years longer--1,902 days. The study found that even when a death-penalty case ends in a plea agreement and a life sentence, the process takes a year and a half longer than an LWOP case with a trial.

 

[protectionist]

There is also the expense to be considered. At one time, the death penalty was probably considered a necessary evil because of lack of facilities to house criminals. Nowadays, the death penalty cases cost us a shit ton of $$.

Costs of the Death Penalty | Death Penalty Information Center

Washington

A Seattle University study examining the costs of the death penalty in Washington found that each death penalty case cost an average of $1 million more than a similar case where the death penalty was not sought ($3.07 million, versus $2.01 million). Defense costs were about three times as high in death penalty cases and prosecution costs were as much as four times higher than for non-death penalty cases. Criminal Justice Professor Peter Collins, the lead author of the study, said, “What this provides is evidence of the costs of death-penalty cases, empirical evidence. We went into it [the study] wanting to remain objective. This is purely about the economics; whether or not it’s worth the investment is up to the public, the voters of Washington and the people we elected.” (Although Washington's death penalty was reinstated in 1981, the study examined cases from 1997 onwards. Using only cases in the study, the gross bill to taxpayers for the death penalty will be about $120 million. Washington has carried out five executions since reinstatement, implying a cost of $24 million per execution. In three of those five cases, the inmate waived parts of his appeals, thus reducing costs.) The study was not able to include the likely higher yearly incarceration costs for death row inmates versus those not on death row.

1. That's only because of the stupid practice of granting literally DECADES of appeals. It isn't unusual to see a convicted killer sit on death row for 30 something years (during which time he could be killing more people). If this moronic practice (which some think is just to create more employment for lawyers and court employees) were reformed to a 2 year maximum (for 100% positive cases), then the long term imprisonment would be far more expensive. Simple solution: don't be stupid.

2. How about the "expense" of the LIVES LOST by keeping the killer alive ? Are they expendable ? Did the Seattle study measure THAT ?

 

[ChrisL]

There is also the expense to be considered. At one time, the death penalty was probably considered a necessary evil because of lack of facilities to house criminals. Nowadays, the death penalty cases cost us a shit ton of $$.

Costs of the Death Penalty | Death Penalty Information Center

Washington

A Seattle University study examining the costs of the death penalty in Washington found that each death penalty case cost an average of $1 million more than a similar case where the death penalty was not sought ($3.07 million, versus $2.01 million). Defense costs were about three times as high in death penalty cases and prosecution costs were as much as four times higher than for non-death penalty cases. Criminal Justice Professor Peter Collins, the lead author of the study, said, “What this provides is evidence of the costs of death-penalty cases, empirical evidence. We went into it [the study] wanting to remain objective. This is purely about the economics; whether or not it’s worth the investment is up to the public, the voters of Washington and the people we elected.” (Although Washington's death penalty was reinstated in 1981, the study examined cases from 1997 onwards. Using only cases in the study, the gross bill to taxpayers for the death penalty will be about $120 million. Washington has carried out five executions since reinstatement, implying a cost of $24 million per execution. In three of those five cases, the inmate waived parts of his appeals, thus reducing costs.) The study was not able to include the likely higher yearly incarceration costs for death row inmates versus those not on death row.

1. That's only because of the stupid practice of granting literally DECADES of appeals. It isn't unusual to see a convicted killer sit on death row for 30 something years (during which time he could be killing more people). If this moronic practice (which some think is just to create more employment for lawyers and court employees) were reformed to a 2 year maximum (for 100% positive cases), then the long term imprisonment would be far more expensive. Simple solution: don't be stupid.

2. How about the "expense" of the LIVES LOST by keeping the killer alive ? Are they expendable ? Did the Seattle study measure THAT ?

Appeals are a RIGHT of every American citizen. Nothing moronic about it. It protects people from the government.

 

[protectionist]

Nevada

A recent study commissioned by the Nevada legislature found that the average death penalty case costs a half million dollars more than a case in which the death penalty is not sought. The Legislative Auditor estimated the cost of a murder trial in which the death penalty was sought cost $1.03 to $1.3 million, whereas cases without the death penalty cost $775,000. The auditor summarized the study's findings, saying, "Adjudicating death penalty cases takes more time and resources compared to murder cases where the death penalty sentence is not pursued as an option. These cases are more costly because there are procedural safeguards in place to ensure the sentence is just and free from error." The study noted that the extra costs of a death penalty trial were still incurred even in cases where a jury chose a lesser sentence, with those cases costing $1.2 million. The study was based on a sample of Nevada murder cases and include the costs of incarceration. Because certain court and prosecution costs could not be obtained, the authors said the costs were, "understated," and may be higher than the estimates given.

Kansas

Defending a death penalty case costs about four times as much as defending a case where the death penalty is not sought, according to a new study by the Kansas Judicial Council. Examining 34 potential death-penalty cases from 2004-2011, the study found that defense costs for death penalty trials averaged $395,762 per case, compared to $98,963 per case when the death penalty was not sought. Costs incurred by the trial court showed a similar disparity: $72,530 for cases with the death penalty; $21,554 for those without. Even in cases that ended in a guilty plea and did not go to trial, cases where the death penalty was sought incurred about twice the costs for both defense ($130,595 v. $64,711) and courts ($16,263 v. $7,384), compared to cases where death was not sought. The time spent on death cases was also much higher. Jury trials averaged 40.13 days in cases where the death penalty was being sought, but only 16.79 days when it was not an option. Justices of the Kansas Supreme Court assigned to write opinions estimated they spent 20 times more hours on death penalty appeals than on non-death appeals. The Department of Corrections said housing prisoners on death row cost more than twice as much per year ($49,380) as for prisoners in the general population ($24,690).

Idaho

A new, but limited, study of the costs of the death penalty in Idaho found that capital cases are more costly and take much more time to resolve than non-capital cases. One measure of death-penalty costs was reflected in the time spent by attorneys handling appeals. The State Appellate Public Defenders office spent about 44 times more time on a typical death penalty appeal than on a life sentence appeal (almost 8,000 hours per capital defendant compared to about 180 hours per non-death penalty defendant). Capital cases with trials took 20.5 months to reach a conclusion while non-capital cases with trials took 13.5 months. The study was commissioned by the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee and performed by the Office of Performance Evaluations.The study also noted how infrequently the death penalty was applied in Idaho: of the 251 defendants who were charged with first-degree murder since 1998, the death penalty was sought against 55 (22%) of them, and just 7 were sentenced to death. More than half of the 40 people sentenced to death since 1977 have received lesser sentences after their death sentences were overturned.

Colorado

​

A new study of the cost of the death penalty in Colorado revealed that capital proceedings requiresix times more days in court and take much longer to resolve than life-without-parole (LWOP) cases. The study, published in the University of Denver Criminal Law Review, found that LWOP cases required an average of 24.5 days of in-court time, while the death-penalty cases required 147.6 days. The authors noted that selecting a jury in an LWOP case takes about a day and a half; in a capital case, jury selection averages 26 days. In measuring the comparative time it takes to go from charging a defendant to final sentencing, the study found that LWOP cases took an average of 526 days to complete; death cases took almost 4 calendar years longer--1,902 days. The study found that even when a death-penalty case ends in a plea agreement and a life sentence, the process takes a year and a half longer than an LWOP case with a trial.

All refuted in Post # 156.

 

[Indeependent]

Nevada

A recent study commissioned by the Nevada legislature found that the average death penalty case costs a half million dollars more than a case in which the death penalty is not sought. The Legislative Auditor estimated the cost of a murder trial in which the death penalty was sought cost $1.03 to $1.3 million, whereas cases without the death penalty cost $775,000. The auditor summarized the study's findings, saying, "Adjudicating death penalty cases takes more time and resources compared to murder cases where the death penalty sentence is not pursued as an option. These cases are more costly because there are procedural safeguards in place to ensure the sentence is just and free from error." The study noted that the extra costs of a death penalty trial were still incurred even in cases where a jury chose a lesser sentence, with those cases costing $1.2 million. The study was based on a sample of Nevada murder cases and include the costs of incarceration. Because certain court and prosecution costs could not be obtained, the authors said the costs were, "understated," and may be higher than the estimates given.

Kansas

Defending a death penalty case costs about four times as much as defending a case where the death penalty is not sought, according to a new study by the Kansas Judicial Council. Examining 34 potential death-penalty cases from 2004-2011, the study found that defense costs for death penalty trials averaged $395,762 per case, compared to $98,963 per case when the death penalty was not sought. Costs incurred by the trial court showed a similar disparity: $72,530 for cases with the death penalty; $21,554 for those without. Even in cases that ended in a guilty plea and did not go to trial, cases where the death penalty was sought incurred about twice the costs for both defense ($130,595 v. $64,711) and courts ($16,263 v. $7,384), compared to cases where death was not sought. The time spent on death cases was also much higher. Jury trials averaged 40.13 days in cases where the death penalty was being sought, but only 16.79 days when it was not an option. Justices of the Kansas Supreme Court assigned to write opinions estimated they spent 20 times more hours on death penalty appeals than on non-death appeals. The Department of Corrections said housing prisoners on death row cost more than twice as much per year ($49,380) as for prisoners in the general population ($24,690).

Idaho

A new, but limited, study of the costs of the death penalty in Idaho found that capital cases are more costly and take much more time to resolve than non-capital cases. One measure of death-penalty costs was reflected in the time spent by attorneys handling appeals. The State Appellate Public Defenders office spent about 44 times more time on a typical death penalty appeal than on a life sentence appeal (almost 8,000 hours per capital defendant compared to about 180 hours per non-death penalty defendant). Capital cases with trials took 20.5 months to reach a conclusion while non-capital cases with trials took 13.5 months. The study was commissioned by the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee and performed by the Office of Performance Evaluations.The study also noted how infrequently the death penalty was applied in Idaho: of the 251 defendants who were charged with first-degree murder since 1998, the death penalty was sought against 55 (22%) of them, and just 7 were sentenced to death. More than half of the 40 people sentenced to death since 1977 have received lesser sentences after their death sentences were overturned.

Colorado

​

A new study of the cost of the death penalty in Colorado revealed that capital proceedings requiresix times more days in court and take much longer to resolve than life-without-parole (LWOP) cases. The study, published in the University of Denver Criminal Law Review, found that LWOP cases required an average of 24.5 days of in-court time, while the death-penalty cases required 147.6 days. The authors noted that selecting a jury in an LWOP case takes about a day and a half; in a capital case, jury selection averages 26 days. In measuring the comparative time it takes to go from charging a defendant to final sentencing, the study found that LWOP cases took an average of 526 days to complete; death cases took almost 4 calendar years longer--1,902 days. The study found that even when a death-penalty case ends in a plea agreement and a life sentence, the process takes a year and a half longer than an LWOP case with a trial.

We have built a system of dependency on the Appeal Process as hundreds of people depend on their pay checks from them.

 

[ChrisL]

Nevada

A recent study commissioned by the Nevada legislature found that the average death penalty case costs a half million dollars more than a case in which the death penalty is not sought. The Legislative Auditor estimated the cost of a murder trial in which the death penalty was sought cost $1.03 to $1.3 million, whereas cases without the death penalty cost $775,000. The auditor summarized the study's findings, saying, "Adjudicating death penalty cases takes more time and resources compared to murder cases where the death penalty sentence is not pursued as an option. These cases are more costly because there are procedural safeguards in place to ensure the sentence is just and free from error." The study noted that the extra costs of a death penalty trial were still incurred even in cases where a jury chose a lesser sentence, with those cases costing $1.2 million. The study was based on a sample of Nevada murder cases and include the costs of incarceration. Because certain court and prosecution costs could not be obtained, the authors said the costs were, "understated," and may be higher than the estimates given.

Kansas

Defending a death penalty case costs about four times as much as defending a case where the death penalty is not sought, according to a new study by the Kansas Judicial Council. Examining 34 potential death-penalty cases from 2004-2011, the study found that defense costs for death penalty trials averaged $395,762 per case, compared to $98,963 per case when the death penalty was not sought. Costs incurred by the trial court showed a similar disparity: $72,530 for cases with the death penalty; $21,554 for those without. Even in cases that ended in a guilty plea and did not go to trial, cases where the death penalty was sought incurred about twice the costs for both defense ($130,595 v. $64,711) and courts ($16,263 v. $7,384), compared to cases where death was not sought. The time spent on death cases was also much higher. Jury trials averaged 40.13 days in cases where the death penalty was being sought, but only 16.79 days when it was not an option. Justices of the Kansas Supreme Court assigned to write opinions estimated they spent 20 times more hours on death penalty appeals than on non-death appeals. The Department of Corrections said housing prisoners on death row cost more than twice as much per year ($49,380) as for prisoners in the general population ($24,690).

Idaho

A new, but limited, study of the costs of the death penalty in Idaho found that capital cases are more costly and take much more time to resolve than non-capital cases. One measure of death-penalty costs was reflected in the time spent by attorneys handling appeals. The State Appellate Public Defenders office spent about 44 times more time on a typical death penalty appeal than on a life sentence appeal (almost 8,000 hours per capital defendant compared to about 180 hours per non-death penalty defendant). Capital cases with trials took 20.5 months to reach a conclusion while non-capital cases with trials took 13.5 months. The study was commissioned by the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee and performed by the Office of Performance Evaluations.The study also noted how infrequently the death penalty was applied in Idaho: of the 251 defendants who were charged with first-degree murder since 1998, the death penalty was sought against 55 (22%) of them, and just 7 were sentenced to death. More than half of the 40 people sentenced to death since 1977 have received lesser sentences after their death sentences were overturned.

Colorado

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A new study of the cost of the death penalty in Colorado revealed that capital proceedings requiresix times more days in court and take much longer to resolve than life-without-parole (LWOP) cases. The study, published in the University of Denver Criminal Law Review, found that LWOP cases required an average of 24.5 days of in-court time, while the death-penalty cases required 147.6 days. The authors noted that selecting a jury in an LWOP case takes about a day and a half; in a capital case, jury selection averages 26 days. In measuring the comparative time it takes to go from charging a defendant to final sentencing, the study found that LWOP cases took an average of 526 days to complete; death cases took almost 4 calendar years longer--1,902 days. The study found that even when a death-penalty case ends in a plea agreement and a life sentence, the process takes a year and a half longer than an LWOP case with a trial.

All refuted in Post # 156.

I don't think so.