Justice Delayed: Is the Death Penalty Still Worth It?

In this episode, Sam Stone and Chuck Warren are joined by guest Jon Levine where they discuss the recent assassination of a Jewish couple in Washington, D.C., labeling it a horrific act of domestic terrorism. The conversation revolves around whether the death penalty is an appropriate and achievable punishment in this case. They cite a comment made by a reporter questioning if this case doesn't warrant the death penalty, what case ever would—highlighting the extremity and clarity of the crime.

The hosts argue that, for those who support capital punishment, this crime clearly qualifies. However, they express skepticism that justice will be served swiftly—or at all—through the death penalty. They criticize the U.S. legal system's prolonged and cumbersome appeals process, noting that it often takes decades for executions to be carried out, even in seemingly open-and-shut cases. They fear that political changes, particularly under future Democratic leadership, could result in a blanket commutation of death sentences to life imprisonment.

The discussion broadens into concerns about the disconnect between serious crimes and the timeliness of punishment. The hosts contrast how petty theft can lead to quick sentencing, while capital cases drag on for years due to legal backlog and procedural complexity. They question whether a streamlined process could be implemented for especially heinous crimes—without sacrificing due process—to restore public faith in the justice system.

They conclude with a general sense of disillusionment about the current system's effectiveness and a belief that, even if the death penalty is ultimately sentenced, it may never be enforced.

Transcripts

Chuck Warren: So we had this horrible terrorist attack in D.C. this week where this lovely Jewish couple were assassinated. And I was listening to the news this morning, and a reporter was talking about if they're going to seek the death penalty on this. And the comment that struck me was, if the circumstances warranted seeking the death penalty, if the circumstances here don't warrant the death penalty, then is there ever circumstances that warrant the death penalty?

Jon Levine: Well, I mean, if you believe in the death penalty and, you know, there's arguments that we shouldn't have a death penalty.

But if you believe death penalty is a legitimate punishment for capital crimes, there's obviously no more appropriate crime than this. And obviously you should be put to death, executed by the death penalty. You know, the problem is it's going to take. Obviously, the conviction is not in question.

The problem is it'll take 20 years to actually get to the death penalty. And if I was a betting man, I guarantee you some future Democrat president is just going to commute this sentence and it'll end up being life in prison. Um, that'd be my guess of how it's going to go.

And it won't be like, say this person, but it'll be some blanket. All the death penalty cases are commuted to life in prison. Yeah. I'm not talking to the democratic party is going, maybe they'll just let them out.

Chuck Warren: Yeah. No kidding.

Sam Stone: No kidding. No kidding. Yeah. I, this touches on something that Chuck and I have talked about before, but for these very serious crimes, should we have not, I'm not talking about getting rid of any sort of due process, but should we have an expedited schedule, through the courts for these kind of cases where it doesn't take 20 years?

Because I think one of the things that's been happening is there's a disconnect between the crime and the punishment in our society.

Jon Levine: Well, it's funny. If you steal a $100 radio from Walmart, it'll be open and shut case in a week.

But something like this takes 20 years. And it does raise questions. Why does this take so long? And we have know for better or worse i think an insanely complicated lengthy appeals process where after you're convicted even in such an obvious open and shut case like this there's endless endless appeals the courts are all backlogged and you know as and as you know it takes like 20 years. If you look at anyone that's executed in the united states it's for crimes committed a generation ago and it that's just it's our system.

I don't even know how to begin to fix it, but I would be open to ideas.

Sam Stone: I mean, Arizona, I think today the AG announced she may pursue the death penalty against a guy who committed his crime in 1994.

Jon Levine: Yeah, that sounds right. Maybe when we're all old then, we can hear about the death penalty being enforced.

But, I mean, the key thing is, like, look, life imprisonment isn't teaches and cream either. If he ended up in, like, Florence... Colorado or Alcatraz or El Salvador, I wouldn't be averse to those options either. And, you know, Trump famously said to the El Salvadorian president, we have to do something about the homegrown.

And let me tell you, this is the homegrown.

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