Attorney General Pam Bondi is directing federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione if he is convicted of the murder of CEO Brian Thompson.
“Life without parole” vs “the death penalty” hold a different connotation for the average person.
Its about perception. Not logic.
The death penalty had never really made sense for 80 years. Basically ever since we eliminated firing squads or the guillotine. Ever since we said, “guilty, kill em now, move on”
But we hold execution in a much higher regard. The death penalty is certain. Life in prison… well thats ambiguous.
We are still fighting a culture war on the death penalty for literal decades now, despite the fact that it makes absolutely zero difference to anyone not directly involved in the crime.
The actual, logical, real world difference is minimal. But if you want to send a message. Well then, the perception is magnificent.
Sentenced to death has meaning. Until you drag it out so long everyone forgets.
I think you’ve argued against yourself. If the point is that perception matters, then death penalty makes him a martyr if convicted. The point is that the actual punishment matters, then either one has a chilling effect on going around and doing that kind of thing.
What’s certainly true is that calling for his death now only highlights the horror of our country’s inability or unwillingness to lock up corporate executives who kill countless Americans every day. It doesn’t take a genius to see the blatant inconsistency there, to see that rich and powerful killers are protecting their own.
Is it about perception or making people forget? I don’t think it makes sense to have it both ways, the perception created by a death trial keeps this in people’s minds and runs contrary to making people forget.
If they wanted to memory-hole him they should have just shot for a long sentence, like 40 years or something. Life ruining but ultimately uninteresting for the average voter. By sending a message they force people to remember; “Oh yeah, a CEO got murdered on the street. Wasn’t that cool?”
“Life without parole” vs “the death penalty” hold a different connotation for the average person.
Its about perception. Not logic.
The death penalty had never really made sense for 80 years. Basically ever since we eliminated firing squads or the guillotine. Ever since we said, “guilty, kill em now, move on”
But we hold execution in a much higher regard. The death penalty is certain. Life in prison… well thats ambiguous. We are still fighting a culture war on the death penalty for literal decades now, despite the fact that it makes absolutely zero difference to anyone not directly involved in the crime.
The actual, logical, real world difference is minimal. But if you want to send a message. Well then, the perception is magnificent.
Sentenced to death has meaning. Until you drag it out so long everyone forgets.
I think you’ve argued against yourself. If the point is that perception matters, then death penalty makes him a martyr if convicted. The point is that the actual punishment matters, then either one has a chilling effect on going around and doing that kind of thing.
What’s certainly true is that calling for his death now only highlights the horror of our country’s inability or unwillingness to lock up corporate executives who kill countless Americans every day. It doesn’t take a genius to see the blatant inconsistency there, to see that rich and powerful killers are protecting their own.
Is it about perception or making people forget? I don’t think it makes sense to have it both ways, the perception created by a death trial keeps this in people’s minds and runs contrary to making people forget.
If they wanted to memory-hole him they should have just shot for a long sentence, like 40 years or something. Life ruining but ultimately uninteresting for the average voter. By sending a message they force people to remember; “Oh yeah, a CEO got murdered on the street. Wasn’t that cool?”
Wasn’t Timothy McVeigh executed relatively quickly?