---
title: 'Federal Judge Asks U.S. Attorney General to Re-consider Death Penalty Over Costs'
description: 'United States District Court Judge Nicholas Garaufis recently wrote a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder asking that the government reconsider…'
canonical: 'https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/federal-judge-asks-u-s-attorney-general-to-re-consider-death-penalty-over-costs'
section: news
date: '2010-05-17T20:33:44-04:00'
updated: '2025-03-14T14:28:04-04:00'
source: 'Death Penalty Information Center'
---

United States District Court **Judge Nicholas Garaufis** recently wrote a letter to **U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder** asking that the government reconsider seeking the federal death penalty in the trial of a reputed mob boss. According to Judge Garaufis's letter, preparations for the murder trial of Vinny Basciano in Brooklyn, N.Y., have already cost the government over **$3 million** in legal fees since 2005, and the trial proceedings have not yet begun. "Current circumstances require a candid reappraisal of whether the resources necessary for a death-penalty prosecution should be devoted to this case," Garaufis wrote. The defendant is already serving a life sentence without parole for the murder of another rival.

("[NY judge: Death penalty would cost gov't dearly](https://www.bostonherald.com/2018/06/20/northeast-amateur-provides-great-setting-for-local-golfers/)," Associated Press; J. Fisher, "'Hit List' Judge: Spare Mobster," N.Y. Post, May 14, 2010). See also [**Costs**](/costs-death-penalty?did=108&scid=7) and [**Federal Death Penalty**](/federal-death-penalty?scid=29&did=147).