[sd9]

There are about 20-30 death penalties imposed each year [1]. In contrast, a homocide occurs roughly once every 30 minutes [2], approximately 17,000 per year.

So it is incredibly atypical for a homicide to result in the death penalty.

The death penalty is reserved for crimes involving aggravating factors - committing other felonies simultaneously, e.g. rape, or mass murder, torture, prior convictions, child victim, etc.

In other words, this news seems routine, probably designed to outrage people who are unaware exactly how _uncommon_ the death penalty usually is.

[1] https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/research/analysis/reports/year-...

[2] https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-releases-2024-re...