Does the death penalty work? Does the threat of the death penalty work? Is it a deterrent to murder or other serious crimes? When and how does a person get put on death row?
In this episode, Paul breaks down the unique case of Nikolas Cruz, the teenager who killed 17 people on Valentine's Day, 2018, at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. There was no question that Cruz was the individual responsible for the most egregious school shooting massacre to date in the United States. But did he deserve to be executed for it? Prosecutors and family members of the victims thought so.
In this episode, Paul explains the special process by which the state attempts to execute someone, what showings have to be made and how the prosecution and defense teams in Cruz's case pushed their narratives and argued their cases.
Enjoy.