Methods Of Execution Essay Research Paper Methods

Methods Of Execution Essay, Research Paper

Methods of Execution

One man’s taking of another’s life is generally seen as an unforgivable

act which is punishable with death. When this is done as punishment however, it

is seen as an honorary deed by removing this criminal from the world and making

it a much safer place to live. With executions in mind, it is incredible what

ingenious methods can be thought of by the human brain and the fact that the

idea is centered around the murdering of one man does not even change how

prodigious these innovations are seen to be. Many different techniques and

procedures for execution are used throughout the world revealing much about a

country’s culture and their concern for their citizens.

By far one of the most well known and publicly glamorized of all methods

of execution is electrocution. Present in nine American states, it was first

used in New York in 1890. When a condemned man is scheduled to be executed, he

is led into the death chamber and strapped to the point of immobility into a

reinforced chair with belts crossing his chest, groin, legs, and arms. Two

copper electrodes, dipped in brine or treated with Eletro-Creme to increase

conductivity, are attached to him, one to his leg and the other to his head. The

first jolt, between five-hundred and two-thousand volts depending on the size of

the prisoner, is given for 30 seconds. Smoke will begin to come out of the

prisoner’s leg and head and these areas may catch fire if the victim has been

sweating profusely. A doctor will examine him and if he still shows life signs,

more jolts of two-thousand volts are administered to finish the job (Matthews).

A main reason for electrocution’s original use was the thought that death was

immediate. Unfortunately this is not the case. Doctors today believe that the

victim feels “himself begin burned to death and suffocating since the shock

cause respiratory paralysis as well as cardiac arrest. Because the energy of the

shock paralyzes the muscles, he cannot cry out, and therefore is presumed dead

(”This is your death…”). How ironic that one reason electrocution was kept in

use was that, although expensive, it was immensely serene as far as the prisoner

is concerned.

Still used extensively throughout the world today and in its sole

representing U.S. state, Utah, the firing squad has a much greater claim to

being humane as bullets directly into the heart generally cause instantaneous

death. Utah uses an extremely exact and well-practiced method which is immensely

centered around concern for the victim by taking almost every precaution

possible to ensure a quick and easy death. The victim is bound to a chair with

leather straps that cross his waist and head. Next a doctor locates the exact

position of his heart with a stethescope and pins a circular white target over

it. Twenty feet away, on the other side of a canvas wall, are five men with .30-

caliber rifles. Each man aims through a gun portal located in the center of the

canvas and fire simultaneously. A prisoner dies as a result of blood loss caused

by rupture of the heart or a large blood vessel, or tearing of the lungs. He

loses consciousness when shock causes a fall in the supply of blood to the brain.

Though a shot to the head causes instant death that method is not used due to

high percentage of failures (Kaplan and Danil). Some countries deliberately

alter these steps in order to cause a more gruesome death. In Taiwan, the

condemned is shot either in the back or chest four times in strategically

painful places. After nearly and hour of misery the officials take the fifth and

final shot into the heart (Hoff and Petrucelli). It is astounding how one

country will do all humanly possible to try to make death a quick and easy

procedure while another tries to do all they can to make it as painful and

agonizing as possible.

The gas chamber, most famous for its abundant use during World War II,

is the method used in Nevada and California and is also used in the Philippines.

The prisoner is led into a room and fastened to a metal chair with perforated

seats. Straps are secured across his upper and lower legs, arms, groin, and

chest. A long stethoscope is also affixed to his chest so that a doctor outside

of the room can pronounce death. Underneath the chair is a bowl filled with a

sulfuric acid and distilled water solution, with a pound of sodium cyanide

pellets suspended in a gauze bag just above. After the door is closed and sealed,

the executioner pulls a lever that triggers the release of the cyanide into the

liquid. This cause the releasing of hydrogen cyanide gas which raises through

the holes in the seat of the chair. According to doctors, the victim “will feel

unable to breathe, but will not immediately lose consciousness,” a statement

which contradicts the previous belief t

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