The story that you're telling leaves out the number one reason why the death penalty is pursued more in some places than others: political will. Simply put, tho

The story that you're telling leaves out the number one reason why the death penalty is pursued more in some places than others: political will. Simply put, those places that have the resources and political desire to pursue the death penalty do, those that don't, don't. Pro death penalty places this year are more likely to have been pro death penalty places last year. That's all the study concludes.