CNN/Reuters: How hanging is supposed to work

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN: "Iraq hanged two of Saddam Hussein's aides early Monday, and one of the condemned was accidentally decapitated."

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/01/15/iraq.executions/index.html


How hanging is supposed to work
January 15, 2007

(Reuters) -- Two of Saddam Hussein's aides were hanged before dawn Monday, the Iraqi government said, and the head of his half-brother Barzan Hassan al-Tikriti was pulled from his body during the execution.

Here are some details on how the process should work:

Hanging is the suspension of a person by a cord wrapped around the neck, causing death. Throughout history it has been used as a form of capital punishment in various forms. The method used in Iraq is modeled on the 19th-century method of execution used in Britain, which formed the Iraqi state after World War I.

Four types of drop have been used in hanging: the short drop, suspension, standard and long drop. In all but the last, subjects can remain conscious for minutes and eventually die of strangulation and/or loss of blood to the brain.

The 19th-century long drop through a trap door is intended to be more humane, generating enough force from the tightening of the rope and the twisting of the noose knot under the jaw to break the neck. A calculation is made based on the convict's weight, height and build of the drop needed to break the neck. The distance is typically 1.5-2.5 metres (5-9 feet).

When the neck breaks and severs the spine, the subject immediately loses consciousness. Brain death follows in minutes. But if the drop is too short, the subject can be strangled. If it is too long, the subject can be decapitated.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/01/15/hanging.background.reut/index.html

[Phredicles]

1. Hanging? Waterboarding? I remember when all the media talked about was

blow jobs.

Those were better days.

[hlthe2b]

5. really...

:eyes: WHere's the RW's fury and repetitive chanting: "what will we tell the children...?"

[Arkansas Granny]

11. The only thing the RWnuts will be chanting is "Show the video!".

Some of the posts I have seen on some of the conservative websites were thrilled with the video of Saddam's hanging.

[LynnTheDem]

2. THANK GAWD George W. bUsh has made Iraq CIVILIZED!

RAH! RAH! RAH!

Stupid MFers.

[tabasco]

3. How nice to have the Imperial News Network give us our circuses!

More bread! More circuses!

[Loge23]

4. 2007 = 19th century

Is this insane or what? Here (on CNN) we have an academic discussion on the finer points of hanging a human being!
What freakin' parallel universe have we fallen into anyway?

[SteppingRazor]

9. Meh ... one could make the case that hanging is more humane than the chair...

or even the needle.

But then again, that ignores the larger issue that it would be even more humane not to kill people at all.

[happyslug]

12. 19th and 21st Century are very Similar

In the 19th the VIce President shot someone (Burr shooting Hamilton).
In the 21st Century a Vice President Shot someone (Cheney).

It is only that evil and degenerate 20th Century when a Vice President did not shoot anyone.

[EFerrari]

6. I can't even believe I'm reading this.

[Slothrope]

7. I Blame Bush For This!

CPA rube Paul Bremer fired all the good, professional executioners in Baghdad.

[rodeodance]

8. At first Iraq did not want capital punishiment, but that changed

within months after Bremner arrived.

[meldroc]

10. Well, at least decapitation's quick.

Very, very messy, but quick.

Never mind that the whole affair looks like a KKK lynching...