How is execution different than 150 years in prison, aside from the chance to be exonerated later? Madoff's life is just about as thoroughly destroyed as Wu's. They will both die in prison.

I dislike capital punishment for several reasons, in particular the greater potential to be applied falsely, but I do not feel that Madoff's sentence is substantially less harsh.

I think the convicted can answer this question better than I. They almost always prefer to keep living.

It'd be interesting to see numbers on how many people serving a life sentence would choose to commit suicide if materials for a painless suicide were readily available. Prisons actively attempt to keep people from doing so, and it's apparently frequent enough to be a major problem at some prisons.

Depression can be a factor here.

I think depression comes with the punishment of life imprisonment, so the ? about the availability of suicide is still valid.

> How is execution different than 150 years in prison

In China, it's much cheaper.

+1, Cmon how can you kill someone for raising money, regardless of its whereabouts or accompanied false promises...

"A bit harsh", my god, get a grip

Maidoff was rising money as well. Here he spent life in prision; in China they kill. I wish they penalties in US would be harsher. Death is too extreme, but this is China, overpopulated, I never lived there havent been raised so have no idea how their brains work. But the truth is, if penalties in US would be harsher, you wouldnt have 30yrs old pot smoker going to jail for 5 years for 2 joints, while Vacovia washing $700mil of worth cocaine on plane to US and got "penalized" $300mil and nobody goes to jail. Same with real estate bubble. People committed suicides after loosing houses, while Goldman was giving $100mil in bonuses. Wild Wild West in 2011!