Elisabeth Semel

“I don’t recall a situation in which it was instigated by the government. I think that also raises serious questions about what is the motivation of the government,”

Elisabeth Semel · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-09

Semel said she could not recall a prior situation where the government itself instigated the broadcasting of an execution.

“This is a president who’s about spectacle and that’s, I think, precisely the message that he intends to deliver,”

Elisabeth Semel · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-09

Semel characterized Trump as a president focused on spectacle and said she was skeptical the administration had considered the legal and social questions.