EJ MONTINI

Arias' defense doubles cost of locking her up for life

EJ Montini
opinion columnist
Jodi Arias

The death penalty doesn't work morally, ethically, or even judicially. But the most convincing argument against it, as proven by the Jodi Arias case, is that the death penalty really doesn't work … mathematically.

The cost to defend Arias, so far, is more than twice what it would cost to keep her in prison for life.

Arias' defense has set us back over $3 million. She'll be 35 this year. If she were to live 60 more years – to 95 – the cost of keeping her in prison would top out at roughly $1.5 million. That's based on a yearly Arizona Department of Corrections report estimating the cost of housing a prison inmate for a year, which is just under $24,000.

So, for emphasis, let's review:

Death penalty defense: $3.1 million (so far). Prison for life: $1.5 million.

And the cost of Arias' defense will continue to go up with appeals. And we pay for it. Just as we also have paid for the prosecution. Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery said the "direct" cost to the state for prosecuting Arias was $132,787.10. But that doesn't include the less direct costs like the salaries of police or prosecutors. Trials are pricey. But capital cases are much more so. And for what?

The death penalty comes with a long, complicated legal set of appeals, all of them necessary to make sure that we don't execute an innocent person.

On the other hand, if the death penalty were to be abolished the killer would be punished, the public would still be protected and we would save millions on trials and appeals, and save as well on the special prisons we construct just for death row inmates.

All of that would pump money into the state budget that could be used for everything from education to mental health programs to public safety to assistance for crime victims.

Who knows what else?

As it is we've paid over $3 million to defend Arias – which will keep going up -- and we are still going to pay about $1.5 million to house her for life.

And for what?

The case against Arias was a stone cold lock. She did it. She deserves life in prison.

But why go for the death penalty?

The decision to seek execution for one murderer over another often seems arbitrary. Probably because it is.

Besides, even if Arias received the death penalty, the appeals process would take about 20 years to complete before she was eligible to be executed. Those 20 years represent about $500,000 just to house her, maybe more, since death row housing is more expensive than other prisons. Plus the price of appeals. With no guarantee of there ever being an execution.

I've interviewed several condemned murderers before they were put to death. I had no pity for them. But it's true what the ethicists say: There is no "humane" way to kill someone. And there is no taking back a death penalty mistake.

Still, the most convincing argument against capital punishment, the one made by the Arias case, isn't based on ethics or morality or anything like that.

It's simple math.