He wants to slow the proceedings down, to give his fellow-judges and the jurors time to consider the gravity of their responsibility and perhaps to reconsider their authority to pronounce a sentence of death.

NEWYORKER: Open Doors

"I request the court to accept my plea and pronounce the sentence, " he told the judge, smiling.

BBC: Main Mumbai suspect pleads guilty

Were jurors convinced that a life sentence meant just that, I suspect that they would not be so quick to pronounce death.

ECONOMIST: Letters