Billionaire investor Joe Lonsdale is drawing national criticism after publicly calling for the United States to bring back public hangings for repeat violent offenders.
Lonsdale, co-founder of Palantir Technologies, made the remarks during a recent event in Austin, arguing the practice would strengthen what he described as societal leadership and act as a deterrent to crime.
His comments quickly prompted pushback from legal experts, civil-rights groups and criminal-justice advocates who note that public executions were abolished long ago in the U.S. and are widely considered unconstitutional under modern standards.
Lonsdale has been an influential figure in conservative and tech-policy circles, and his remarks come amid ongoing debates about crime, punishment and the role of deterrence in the justice system.
No lawmakers have announced plans to act on Lonsdale’s suggestion, and there is no indication such a practice would be legally viable. The discussion, however, underscores the continued polarization surrounding criminal-justice policy and public safety.
Palantir Technologies is a data-analytics company that builds software to help governments and major corporations make sense of massive amounts of information. Its platforms — including Gotham, Foundry and Apollo — are used for everything from national security and policing to supply-chain management and business forecasting. The company works closely with U.S. agencies, the military and Fortune 500 firms, which has made it both influential and controversial. Critics often raise concerns about privacy and surveillance, while supporters say its tools improve safety and decision-making.
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