Would you like to see the firing squad as an option in IL? (Chicago: floor, murders)

[lenniel]

This morning, there was an execution by firing squad of a death row inmate in Utah.

With all the strong passion for gun laws on both sides of the debate in Chicago, would this ever fly here?

[Irishtom29]

Why bother with shooting and the mercy of the provost marhall's pistol when we can hang people in a perfectly workmanlike manner?

[Alacran]

What's next? Stoning people?

[Attrill]

Considering that we still have a death penalty moratorium in place it is kind of a moot question. With the Burge and Riley Fox trials going on I don't really foresee any push to lift the moratorium.

[ERS-One]

I've read that death by lethal injection is quite a twisted affair. It's not as simple as going to sleep (so I've read) like your old pet dog at the vet. I don't know if that's completely accurate, but maybe a bullet in the head is a bit more humane, as barbaric as it sounds....

...if caring about the comfort level of deathrow inmates is your thing.

[Irishtom29]

The term "lethal injection" is a euphemism for "poisoning". I think the term was invented (probably by some PR flak) so we wouldn't think of the goverment poisoning of Socrates. Or of the Germans poisoning Jews.

Just because government folks don't believe in plain speaking doesn't mean the rest of us have to follow suit.

[ERS-One]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

The term "lethal injection" is a euphemism for "poisoning". I think the term was invented (probably by some PR flak) so we wouldn't think of the goverment poisoning of Socrates. Or of the Germans poisoning Jews.

Just because government folks don't believe in plain speaking doesn't mean the rest of us have to follow suit.

I wonder why it's still employed? Cheaper? Less contoversal sounding - PR spin and all?

It sounds awful.

[mdand3boys]

Giving the condemned their choice of how they will die seems to be the way to do it.

[lenniel]

I actually prefer hanging for convicted murders and child molesters. The anticipation standing with the rope loosely around their neck just waiting for the floor to drop has got to be grueling.
Then trying to hang on to those last gasps of breath while you flop around on the end of a rope like a fish on the end of a line.
I guess they should think about all that before the murder or molest a child.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by lenniel

I actually prefer hanging for convicted murders and child molesters. The anticipation standing with the rope loosely around their neck just waiting for the floor to drop has got to be grueling.
Then trying to hang on to those last gasps of breath while you flop around on the end of a rope like a fish on the end of a line.
I guess they should think about all that before the murder or molest a child.

In a well-performed hanging, death is instantaneous as the victim's spinal cord is broken/severed by the falling weight of the prisoner. The trick is to properly adjust the length of rope with the weight of the prisoner. Too short and there's not enough force to snap the spinal cord, resulting in a drawn-out strangulation. Too long, and there's too much force and you decapitate the the victim, resulting in a messy clean-up.