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South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

bbc.com

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Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#11

Post by afavour »

starkd wrote: post #7
eindiran wrote: post #2

Death by firing squad is relatively humane (especially in comparison to electrocution), so if you really need to have capital punishment and your options are electrocution and firing squad, the choice is pretty clear. I think the reason executions moved away from firing squad was that it was mentally taxing of the people in the firing squad, not because the alternatives were more humane.

It really doesn't matter to the person being executed. I think changing it is more about the sensibilities of the observers.

I think it does matter to the person being executed. There are numerous stories of lethal injections going wrong, of those being executed writhing around in extreme pain.

If I were on death row I think I’d very strongly prefer a firing squad. If I were the person performing the execution… perhaps not.

But I think you’re right that these changes aren’t being brought about for the benefit for the executed. It’s embarrassing for those executing when one goes wrong and states have had to resort to more and more obscure cocktails of drugs as companies refuse to sell when they know their product is being used to kill. By comparison a firing squad has a very simple supply chain.

Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#12

Post by asdfasgasdgasdg »

nightfly wrote: post #8
xwdv wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it’s mentally taxing why not create some sort of automated firing squad? First version could just be a line of guns manually aimed and then set to fire simultaneously off some timer. More advanced versions could eventually feature face recognition for auto aiming and arbitrary placement of the gun turrets.

There are countless other more humane ways to kill people, if we must. No need for a "high tech" solution here. I'd prefer they keep it difficult/impossible to do though. Making capital punishment easier is the opposite of what they should be doing.

It might be instructive to look at how people choose to die when they have a free choice. Ah, what am I saying, why am I trying to think of better ways to execute people? We should just stop doing that.

Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#14

Post by fighterpilot »

devoutsalsa wrote: post #9
COGlory wrote: post #5

If I had to choose between injection, electrocution, and firing squad, the latter sounds the least stressful/scary.

If I could pick a way to go, it'd be getting trashed on some delicious liquor, passing out, and then just having someone drop a large concrete block on me from a notable height.

I'd adjust that to hard liquor, then a general anaesthetic on top to be sure, then the brick and a firing squad after the brick.

Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#15

Post by Bodell »

xwdv wrote: post #4
eindiran wrote: post #2

Death by firing squad is relatively humane (especially in comparison to electrocution), so if you really need to have capital punishment and your options are electrocution and firing squad, the choice is pretty clear. I think the reason executions moved away from firing squad was that it was mentally taxing of the people in the firing squad, not because the alternatives were more humane.

If it’s mentally taxing why not create some sort of automated firing squad? First version could just be a line of guns manually aimed and then set to fire simultaneously off some timer. More advanced versions could eventually feature face recognition for auto aiming and arbitrary placement of the gun turrets.

Why stop there? We could just load them up on an assembly line and have one of those automotive robotic arms use an air gun on them like they do for cattle. Better yet just rip their heads clean off with an automated guillotine. Then us regular folk could check it out on the latest “how it’s made” episode and remark to our selves on how satisfying the sheer efficiency of it is. Do that long enough and we could even have kids react to the old people’s way of electrocuting them in a chair. They’ll think that shit be cray. Sounds to me like the killing business is ripe for disruption.

Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#16

Post by tapland »

asdfasgasdgasdg wrote: post #12
nightfly wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are countless other more humane ways to kill people, if we must. No need for a "high tech" solution here. I'd prefer they keep it difficult/impossible to do though. Making capital punishment easier is the opposite of what they should be doing.

It might be instructive to look at how people choose to die when they have a free choice. Ah, what am I saying, why am I trying to think of better ways to execute people? We should just stop doing that.

Since it was an invention to make it easier on people who do the executions, yes we probably don't have to focus on optimizing our disconnect to killing.

Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#17

Post by sio8ohPi »

Bodell wrote: post #15
xwdv wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it’s mentally taxing why not create some sort of automated firing squad? First version could just be a line of guns manually aimed and then set to fire simultaneously off some timer. More advanced versions could eventually feature face recognition for auto aiming and arbitrary placement of the gun turrets.

Why stop there? We could just load them up on an assembly line and have one of those automotive robotic arms use an air gun on them like they do for cattle. Better yet just rip their heads clean off with an automated guillotine. Then us regular folk could check it out on the latest “how it’s made” episode and remark to our selves on how satisfying the sheer efficiency of it is. Do that long enough and we could even h…

From the Onion: Ohio Replaces Lethal Injection With Humane New Head-Ripping-Off Machine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfsMMVgIToA

Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#19

Post by sharkweek »

michaericalribo wrote: post #6

This is a cruelly ironic development against the backdrop of the major DNA news in another capital case today—a potentially innocent man put to death. There is no do-over or undo, no fixing mistakes, when the death penalty is in play. The death penalty is barbaric and indefensible. The so-called criminal justice system is criminally unjust, and abolishing the death penalty is a good start towards reform (one among ma…

I honestly think I’d be pro-death penalty in a world where 100% of the sentences are accurate.

But that’s not the world we live in so I’m 100% opposed.

Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#20

Post by ByteJockey »

Bodell wrote: post #15
xwdv wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it’s mentally taxing why not create some sort of automated firing squad? First version could just be a line of guns manually aimed and then set to fire simultaneously off some timer. More advanced versions could eventually feature face recognition for auto aiming and arbitrary placement of the gun turrets.

Why stop there? We could just load them up on an assembly line and have one of those automotive robotic arms use an air gun on them like they do for cattle. Better yet just rip their heads clean off with an automated guillotine. Then us regular folk could check it out on the latest “how it’s made” episode and remark to our selves on how satisfying the sheer efficiency of it is. Do that long enough and we could even h…

If it's ripping, is it really a guillotine?
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