About how long someone can sit on death row. What is the process and why does it take so long?

Question

About how long someone can sit on death row. What is the process and why does it take so long?

Answer 1

Some for over 20 years, so they do a life sentence before they get their death sentence.

Answer 2

The process is very long because we want to make the government absolutely PROVE beyond any reasonable doubt, multiple times, that a person committed a capital crime before we allow politicians to execute someone.

Think about this from an un-emotional viewpoint - we really don't want to give the government the power to execute citizens at will. Think of the incredible potential of abuse there is in that power. That's why we make it extremely hard for the government to take someone's life... even when we think that person is obviously guilty of really heinous crimes.    

Answer 3

The process would normally be very short, whenever the date is set.

However, what makes the process so long and time consuming is the countless appeals the criminal's lawyer files. If there were a limit on appeals, then there would not be people spending 15+ years on death row.