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Started By
Message
re: Let's begin emptying death row...
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:04 am to Indefatigable
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:04 am to Indefatigable
quote:DAs rarely take anything to trial. 90% or more cases are plea deals.
DA’s in Louisiana routinely go with second degree murder and leave first and/or the death penalty off the table simply because death penalty cases are insanely expensive and they don’t have the budget or resources for it
1
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:10 am to Jake88
quote:
saying they are pulling those numbers based on what's already being paid to the judges, DA, indigent defenders, clerks etc. and taking the time they spend on a death penalty case and calling those the costs.
Nope. You are wrong.
Death penalty cases are not baked in to parish DA budgets. Perhaps BR and New Orleans can afford to account for them—but generally no.
quote:
not all of these cost studies are performed by anti-death penalty advocates.
I don’t need a study on death penalty case costs. I have seen it.
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:11 am to Jake88
quote:
DAs rarely take anything to trial. 90% or more cases are plea deals.
What’s that have to do with anything?
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:12 am to Indefatigable
quote:So DAs, Judges, indigent defenders, clerks, etc. get paid extra? Hundreds of thousands extra?
Death penalty cases are not baked in to parish DA budgets
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:12 am to Jake88
quote:
So DAs, Judges, indigent defenders, clerks, etc. get paid extra? Hundreds of thousands extra?
Nope.
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:13 am to Indefatigable
Youre saying they go with second degree murder rather than first to save money. Im saying they generally avoid all trials to save money and effort.
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:15 am to Jake88
No. Most cases aren’t worth anyone’s time or the docket space required for a trial. Hence the plea deals—most cases are open and shut.
Your second degree murders and sex offenses are the cases that go to trial at the highest rate. It’s lower felonies that basically never do.
Your second degree murders and sex offenses are the cases that go to trial at the highest rate. It’s lower felonies that basically never do.
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:16 am to Indefatigable
So, beyond some experts, where are the additional costs? I'd like to see them itemized so as to not muddy what is specific to the capital case and not salaried or already budgeted.
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:16 am to Indefatigable
I understand that.
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:16 am to Lutcher Lad
quote:
I think it's time to start reducing the population at Angola's death row...what say you?
There's a quick and easy way to reduce it. Did you see what they're starting July 1st in Idaho?
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:16 am to FATBOY TIGER
quote:ok
A tent full of eye witnesses in the Anthony case. DEAD to RIGHTS
what about just one
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:20 am to FooManChoo
quote:
I'm personally of the opinion that letting someone sit in prison for life until they die naturally is not actually justice for someone who murders another person.
Aside from resurrecting the dead there is no way to achieve justice for someone who takes the life of another person. Justice and vengeance are not synonymous.
This post was edited on 6/28/26 at 9:21 am
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:21 am to Jake88
For starters it’s basically doubling normal trial costs off the bat, because of the second trial/penalty phase.
Then it’s experts out the arse, much higher testing/forensic costs, data storage costs if there’s any electronic evidence and all that goes with that. The trials are longer, requiring more expert and witness travel expenses. Then several layers of mandatory appeals and generally speaking at least one procedural remand or two in there to frick everything up at least once. Additional/contract staff assignments, outside appellate counsel costs, etc
It adds up enormously quickly.
Then it’s experts out the arse, much higher testing/forensic costs, data storage costs if there’s any electronic evidence and all that goes with that. The trials are longer, requiring more expert and witness travel expenses. Then several layers of mandatory appeals and generally speaking at least one procedural remand or two in there to frick everything up at least once. Additional/contract staff assignments, outside appellate counsel costs, etc
It adds up enormously quickly.
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:22 am to Jake88
quote:
So, beyond some experts, where are the additional costs? I'd like to see them itemized so as to not muddy what is specific to the capital case and not salaried or already budgeted.
It’s a grift. Nonprofits bill the state for all kinds of things related to capital defense cases.
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:23 am to Indefatigable
I'd like to see the cost breakdown. I know you dont have that and I'm not saying they arent more costly, what I'm saying is the numbers are exaggerated.
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:25 am to 4cubbies
There was a post earlier in the thread promoting LWOP in lieu of the death penalty as a cost savings measure. I just want to point out that there is generally a point when criminals reach “criminal menopause” and stop offending. If the objective it cost savings, incarceration until that point and then parole would make the most sense. I imagine it’s probably around age 60 or 65.
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:26 am to 4cubbies
quote:Hmm. Which ones are you thinking in particular?
It’s a grift. Nonprofits bill the state for all kinds of things related to capital defense cases.
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:27 am to Jake88
quote:
I'd like to see the cost breakdown. I know you dont have that and I'm not saying they arent more costly, what I'm saying is the numbers are exaggerated.
Perhaps the statewide total number or whatever is inflated with amorphous “costs” to the State itself
But the notion that a capital case is a seven-figure ordeal for a given parish DA’s office is not exaggerated.
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:28 am to Jake88
I used to be friends with the State Public Defender. He would go off about this all the time. His office manages these budgets. I’m sure the info is somewhere on their website.
Posted on 6/28/26 at 9:31 am to Indefatigable
quote:I'd like to see that. How many are, how many arent. What is the mean? How often are capital cases brought to trial? Im not taking the word of Loyola and anti-death penalty researchers as they've already proven to be less than straightforward.
But the notion that a capital case is a seven-figure ordeal for a given parish DA’s office is not exaggerated.
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