I've never killed a man, but I've read many an obituary with a great deal of satisfaction.

The line is a mordant epigram about resentment and the socially acceptable forms of vengeance. By contrasting the literal act of killing with the private pleasure of reading an enemy’s obituary, the speaker admits to hostility while also claiming moral and legal innocence. The humor depends on the taboo of wishing death on others and on the hypocrisy of polite society, where such feelings are common but rarely confessed. Attributed to Darrow—famous for his skepticism about moral posturing and his sharp courtroom wit—the remark functions as a cynical observation about human nature: we often avoid direct harm yet still savor others’ downfall when it costs us nothing.