Trimming (and Electocuting, and Injecting, and Gassing ) the Fat

I just read an interesting economic argument against the Death Penalty.

Most States where the Death Penalty is legal spend about a million dollars more prosecuting cases that could get the death penalty, than they would for other violent crimes.

Only one in three capital crimes actually gets a death sentence. The state has spent $3 million extra to get that one sentence.

After appeals, mistrials, DNA tests, stays of execution, pardons, convicts dying of old age, etc, only 1 in 10 such convictions actually results in an execution. So, now the state has spent $30,000,000 extra, in court costs and legal fees, to get a single death sentence carried out. Source on preceding data

So, for the 50-55 people America will put to death this year (source), we are spending $1.5 Billion more than we would if we didn't have the death penalty.

1.5 billion per year to get whatever modicum of deterrence is caused by the psychology of knowing that if you're arrested, there's a 1-in-30 chance you'll be put to death for it, many years down the road. Anecdotal evidence gathered from just knowing some smokers suggests that it's $1,500,000,000 a year paid for zero impact.