Why didn't he get the death penality?

They made a plea bargain to spare the death penalty because there were some legal questions about he case. The FBI had paid a Russian spy $7 million for the file that showed Hansen had been the spy and started the FBI's case. However, none of that file would have been allowed as evidence in court. Instead of trying to build a case out of what else hey had found, the Justice Department made a deal to spare him the death penalty for a confession. We also don't know for sure what else Hansen provided the FBI in the plea bargain. He might have turned over some sensitive information the CIA or FBI could have used on the Russians. Not saying I agree with it, he probably deserved the death penalty but why take the chance and spend the money on a trial when a jury might not give him the death penalty anyway? Instead they put him away forever for a confession.

Death penalty has got sort of this Medieval ring to it. And spending 23 hrs a day for the rest of ones life in solitary confinement... it's not impossible he might have actually chosen death over such a prospect.



"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

The reason hes in a supermax is because the very nature of a super max is that the inmates are not allowed to interact. He knows so much sensitive information that there would be too much risk if he was allowed to socialize with anyone. Its rather standard for any convicted spy. Also you never know if the government might have need of any of his knowledge in the future. Thus keeping him alive benefits them too.

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