There's a lot of speculation about this but I haven't seen actual evidence. Our extradition laws with the UK are actually stronger than with Sweden so why wait for him to be in Sweden?
And, on exactly what charges would he receive the death penalty? The death penalty under Federal charges is not exactly something that's handed out like candy. Since 1963 only three people have been given the death penalty at the federal level, and all were murderers.
He doesn't need to get a death penalty, it's enough if they'll give him the same treatment they gave Manning prior to his trial [1]. Enough to make any sane person go mad.
Well they are trying to hit Assange with the Espionage Act, though the exact punishment for that hasn't readily turned up in my searches. If they could nail him with treason, he would certainly be up for the death penalty, however, since Assange is not a US citizen and therefore doesn't owe allegiance to the US, I don't think he would be able to be charged with it (http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2381)
Show me one example, post 1960, of such a punishment being sought.
Further, no such charges have been brought in the US, and more importantly, even several prosecutors have claimed such a charge will be difficult to produce, given the protections we provide the press here.
Finally, this whole "fear of death," is completely manufactured. He will get a much fairer shake than all of the Chinese dissidents whose names he released unredacted.
Yeh, to be honest life imprisonment probably wouldn't be all that more pleasant than a death sentence.
Also the US has, in recent years, demonstrated that its protections are primarily intended for their own citizens. Apparently it's OK to strip foreigners of any such rights, if they are perceived as enemies and this is deemed convenient.
From all evidence it is clear that he will be extradited to the US where he just might face the death penalty.