[Teflonic]

It's true look up some studies done on the costs. Here's the results from a Kansas study I just pulled:

The investigation costs for death-sentence cases were about 3 times greater than for non-death cases.

The trial costs for death cases were about 16 times greater than for non-death cases ($508,000 for death case; $32,000 for non-death case).

The appeal costs for death cases were 21 times greater.

The costs of carrying out (i.e. incarceration and/or execution) a death sentence were about half the costs of carrying out a non-death sentence in a comparable case.

Trials involving a death sentence averaged 34 days, including jury selection; non-death trials averaged about 9 days.

[AppyPappy]

The investigation costs for death-sentence cases were about 3 times greater than for non-death cases.

So if we raise the cost of life in prison to exceed capital punishment, you'll support the death penalty?

[Chummy]

What would the results be in a state without the death penalty? Would not one expect that a trial that may result in a life sentence take longer and cost more than a trial that may result in lesser consequences?

[Rik0Shay]

Consider this. If a murderer is executed the expense is over. If a murderer not executed is released for any reason and murders again should not that cost be added to the non-death penalty side.

[Nevermore]

But are all the "non-death" cases in this mix First-Degree Murder cases? Gotta compare apples and apples.