Reasons Why hanging is no longer used as a form of death penalty
It's considered inhumane.
The irony is that when it's done right, and breaks the neck with a long drop, it's instant death.
The gas chamber, lethal injection and certainly the electric chair are far worse.
I'd run to the gallows if it was a choice between a long drop hanging or the electric chair; the latter is horrific.
The eighth amendment of the constitution talks about wanting no cruel and unusual punishment. Yet, frequently, the USA draws out an execution, and uses methods that they claim to be quick and humane, that are anything but.
First let's talk about the UK (ironically as their old methods were one of the reasons for writing this line into the constitution) and their method and thinking on executions before it was stopped. A person has a trial, is found guilty and sentenced to death. They had the right to appeal. If the appeals failed the execution took place. (So far same as the US). However, the sentence was carried out within weeks of the final appeal verdict. The UK said the sentence was death, nothing more. They worked out the proper calculations to be used for the cleanest and most humane method of death, hanging. What was the best rope, the type of knot, placement of the knot, length of the drop based on height and weight of the prisoner. Clean break of the neck, not slow strangulation. The prisoner knew the date of the execution and was moved to a new cell and given company the night before. The executioner placed a mat outside the cell so the prisoner could not hear them approaching. At the given time, they opened the door, quickly stood the prisoner up, tied their hands, walked them next door to the hangmans chamber, hooded them and placed the noose, and pulled the lever. No talking, except for the prayers of a chaplain. No reading of sentence. Nothing except a quick execution done in less than 30 seconds. Rarely botched.
The USA drags out appeals for year and years. By the time the sentence has been carried out the prisoner is often a different person to the young person that committed the crime. The process of execution is drawn out. Walking the mile, reading the sentence, opening the curtains to show them the audience. The actual preparation for the execution. Tying them to the electric chair, attaching the equipment to the previously shaved head and flesh. Then, no real idea exactly how it feels to die by this method. Or, previously the gas chamber, or more recently lethal injection. They also hanged people (mainly military punishment) and used their own calculations to work it out. The British executioners complained that the American calculations were wrong, leading to more botched hangings, but some of them suspected that this was deliberate.
So, Britain stopped cruel and unusual punishments by a natural progression through time, their punishment was death, nothing more. The USA continues to carry them out in long, drawn out ways as they want to see the prisoner suffering their punishment. Continue reading
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