Professor of Law Gregory Germain spoke with The Guardian for an article on the Department of Justice seeking the death penalty in the Luigi Mangione trial.
Germain said the death penalty raises the stakes and adds “pressure” on Mangione to accept a life sentence if such a plea deal were offered.
German noted, however, that almost all the recent death penalty cases unfolded under Trump’s first term and surmised that his justice department would not agree to a deal for life imprisonment.
“He has political reasons, wanting to seem ‘tough on crime’ by supporting the death penalty,” Germain said.