I have not weighed in on this yet, but I will now.
I thought from the outset that the death penalty should not have been in play here. Although conspiracy charges would bring it into play, this particular idiot had been cut out of the loop by Atta and it is obvious to all that he is not playing with a full deck here.
I don't particularly condone the death penalty in any case, to be clear, however the use of it in this case is not good jurist prudence, and is more a message.
I don't think this case makes a very good message conveyance, in any case. Life in prison sounds like the best result and something that can be easily justified.
I agree, I hope the Feds pick a particularly nasty prison.