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Surviving an Execution

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Re: Surviving an Execution

#31

Post by wl »

curryst wrote: post #26
marcinzm wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect there's very few competent anesthesiologist who would be willing to do lethal injections. Even if they believe in the death penalty the risk to their careers seems not worth the non-existent reward.

Many doctors believe participating in executions is a violation of the Hippocratic Oath. I suspect that you're right. > Even if they believe in the death penalty the risk to their careers seems not worth the non-existent reward. I would presume they pay fairly handsomely, if there are few doctors willing to participate. Even if they payed them $10,000 to do it, there aren't enough executions a year for it to dent the…

The median anesthesiologist in the US earns a little under $400,000/yr. $10,000 is probably not enough to get one risk their career to carry out an execution.

Re: Surviving an Execution

#32

Post by WalterBright »

jxramos wrote: post #24
samizdis wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but that didn't seem always to be the case when the British were hanging people overseas. George Orwell wrote an essay, A Hanging [1], about an execution that he witnessed while serving in Burma. The prisoner, and escort, have a walk of several minutes from the cell to the gallows outdoors. At one point, with 40 yards to go to the gallows, the party is disrupted by a large playful dog. He notes that after the di…

that is astounding! Makes me think of not smothering out a smoldering wick let alone a vibrant living man. Written in 1931, wow.

> Written in 1931, wow.

Indeed. I always assumed that people did not have sophisticated thoughts until at least 1960!

Re: Surviving an Execution

#33

Post by codezero »

generalizations wrote: post #25
nick__m wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not that I agree with the practice but the people pro death are also pro retribution; to them the suffering is a feature :/

If you want to make that generalization, you should have some good sources to back it up. Do you have some stats saying that e.g. 99% of pro-death-penalty people want the accused to "suffer"? Otherwise you're just throwing shade on people you disagree with, and that doesn't make you look good.

Death is by definition suffering. By that, I mean the removal of free will and free thought is suffering. Prison removes free will, and death removes free thought.

Re: Surviving an Execution

#35

Post by pierrec »

dnhz wrote: post #4

I always thought that the movie, Capote, had the most visceral depiction of execution I've seen in film. The idea of being led to your death, the hood, the waiting for the platform to drop. Oof, makes my heart race a bit. The hanging or shooting may be quick, but the moments leading up to it certainly are not. And imagine if you were innocent!

Paths of Glory would like to have a word with you.

This might sound hyperbolic, but it's not only the the most visceral depiction of execution I've seen - it's simply one of the most intense moments of all cinema. It's the film that made Stanley Kubrick famous, and for a good reason. That said, I also liked Capote.

Re: Surviving an Execution

#36

Post by tshtf »

dnhz wrote: post #4

I always thought that the movie, Capote, had the most visceral depiction of execution I've seen in film. The idea of being led to your death, the hood, the waiting for the platform to drop. Oof, makes my heart race a bit. The hanging or shooting may be quick, but the moments leading up to it certainly are not. And imagine if you were innocent!

Kieslowski's "A Short Film About Killing" is also very powerful.

Re: Surviving an Execution

#37

Post by generalizations »

bloqs wrote: post #28
generalizations wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you want to make that generalization, you should have some good sources to back it up. Do you have some stats saying that e.g. 99% of pro-death-penalty people want the accused to "suffer"? Otherwise you're just throwing shade on people you disagree with, and that doesn't make you look good.

I would say this is one of those very rare examples where sufficient social activity suffices where a study is absent. I have not met a single human being who believes in execution but only humanely. I have met in excess of 50 people who simply conflate suffering and death and simplify the justification

You're relying on anecdotes, and the reliability of anecdotes isn't increased just because the subject matter is harder to get good information on.

> I have not met a single human being who believes in execution but only humanely. I have met in excess of 50 people who simply conflate suffering and death and simplify the justification

The very best this statement can say is that inside your bubble, this is how your memory represents the aggregate opinions you've encountered w.r.t. the death penalty.

Re: Surviving an Execution

#38

Post by Clewza313 »

pmyteh wrote: post #15
dnhz wrote: post #4

I always thought that the movie, Capote, had the most visceral depiction of execution I've seen in film. The idea of being led to your death, the hood, the waiting for the platform to drop. Oof, makes my heart race a bit. The hanging or shooting may be quick, but the moments leading up to it certainly are not. And imagine if you were innocent!

This is one reason why, when the UK had capital punishment, a premium was placed on speed. The condemned cell was set up a few yards from the scaffold and the idea was that the time from the executioner entering the cell to the trap being dropped could be well under one minute. The movie 'Pierrepoint' shows this pretty well (and has a very good performance by Timothy Spall as the eponymous professional but slightly c…

In Japan, those condemned to death are not informed of their execution date until the day it happens, and can languish in jail for decades until that day.

Imagine spending 32 years in solitary confinement, under the knowledge that the next knock on your door could be last:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_Japan

Re: Surviving an Execution

#39

Post by AnimalMuppet »

gambiting wrote: post #5
john_alan wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or carbon monoxide?

Or you know, literally, just a gun to the head. Out of all possible execution methods that were tried in the last century, the lethal injection seems to be one of the most horrific ones, possibly beaten by the electric chair.

Why the electric chair? My father was accidentally electrocuted (and fortunately survived). He says that he felt nothing.

Re: Surviving an Execution

#40

Post by mellosouls »

generalizations wrote: post #25
nick__m wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not that I agree with the practice but the people pro death are also pro retribution; to them the suffering is a feature :/

If you want to make that generalization, you should have some good sources to back it up. Do you have some stats saying that e.g. 99% of pro-death-penalty people want the accused to "suffer"? Otherwise you're just throwing shade on people you disagree with, and that doesn't make you look good.

I saw a documentary on the subject where that was acknowledged in this particular case, the suffering being an important factor.

I can't remember the documentary title, but the example was given of humane, even pleasurable, similar method to use instead of injection etc and it was dismissed angrily by pro campaigners for those honest and believable reasons.

That's not to say it's a majority opinion - so I agree with your objection to that generalisation, but it's definitely a reaction of some who are pro-death penalty.

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