The reduction in capital punishment can be attributed to a combination of factors, including prosecutors waiving the death penalty in capital murder cases, jurors opting to assess life in prison without parole instead of a death sentence, and the state’s highest criminal appeals court staying, withdrawing or post-phoning death warrants. Not to mention, it is extremely expensive, costing millions of dollars and six to eight weeks of court time. If a defendant gets the death penalty, their case is automatically appealed –  a process that can go on for decades. Many counties simply cannot afford to seek the death penalty or don’t want to pass the expense on to taxpayers.