Judge bias over the death penalty?

[Lea.Floyd]

Its very easy to say that you would give someone the death penalty but when your faced with the actual reality of it I reckon it'd be harder that it looks. Do you think judges have a difficult time passing this sentence? Do you think they will avoid it and be more lenient with the defendant?

 

[imported_laughter_every_day]

The judges I know find it difficult but they do it. In my state, the sentence is imposed by a jury, not by judges, and the judges merely preside over the proceedings.

 

[Julia]

There are legal hurdles before the judge can impose the death penalty. The 8th amendment would apply as to whether the death penalty is appropriate to the crime. Whether the judge would apply the death penalty in appropriate cases probably depends on the case facts and the judges political leanings. There are some crimes so heinous that even liberal judges would apply the death penalty.