[The Godfather]

Witness: Executed man's 'head just snapped off'  - CNN.com

It was a technical problem that allowed this to happen to Saddam's brother. Metric vs. Imperial? Measure twice, cut once?

[subego]

Everyone in the room was required to sign an agreement promising not to engage in taunting the condemned men

How sporting.

[Face Ache]

12: Food Items

Food items are permitted when purchased from the kiosk. However popcorn, peanuts and other throw-able food items are strictly forbidden. Beer and other alcoholic beverages will be served in plastic cups.

[tie]

A lot of people seem to get decapitated in Iraq. But spacefreak posted some interesting statistics the other day -- I don't remember exactly, but it was something like per capita there are more decapitations in Washington DC than in Baghdad. So it isn't something we should really be concerned with.

[Millennium]

I don't know if it was a matter of metric vs. imperial measurements, but you're right that it's a technical problem. A properly-executed hanging is actually a very quick, clean way to die: the fall breaks your neck and separates your spinal column; death is instantaneous.

Something seems to have gone wrong here. Usually when this happens, it means the fall was too long for that particular person. I wouldn't be surprised if they simply calibrated the fall for Saddam Hussein's weight and used that for everyone, but this man was too heavy for that particular length. As a result he hit bottom with greater force, and it was enough to decapitate him.

A nasty result, but things could have gone much worse. Someone too light for the fall likely wouldn't break their neck (though there'd be a really painful shock at the bottom of the fall) and then suffocate. That's a nasty way to go. They need to correct the technical issues before this happens.

[dcmacdaddy]

Originally Posted by Millennium 

I don't know if it was a matter of metric vs. imperial measurements, but you're right that it's a technical problem. A properly-executed hanging is actually a very quick, clean way to die: the fall breaks your neck and separates your spinal column; death is instantaneous.

Something seems to have gone wrong here. Usually when this happens, it means the fall was too long for that particular person. I wouldn't be surprised if they simply calibrated the fall for Saddam Hussein's weight and used that for everyone, but this man was too heavy for that particular length. As a result he hit bottom with greater force, and it was enough to decapitate him.

A nasty result, but things could have gone much worse. Someone too light for the fall likely wouldn't break their neck (though there'd be a really painful shock at the bottom of the fall) and then suffocate. That's a nasty way to go. They need to correct the technical issues before this happens.

From what I have read, Barzan al-Tikriti was too light for the length of the fall he had. In other words, he was given too much rope and was allowed too fall too far for how much he weighed. According to the news too far of a "drop" allows too much acceleration to be built-up: too much speed = severed neck instead of broken neck. The New York Times article on the hangings referred to the US Army's "Procedures For Military Executions" published in December 1947. I found a copy on the web and it provides a detailed "drop-chart" for a persons height/weight combination. The NYT and other news sites pointed out that the executioners gave al-Tikriti 8 feet of rope when the calculations in the drop table shows he should have gotten closer to six feet of rope.

Let's hope they do get this right before they attempt any more. I don't doubt that this video will get out to the wider world at some point and when it does it will create even more of an uproar than has occured already.

[Kevin]

Uproar by the same people who rip people's heads off with a dull sword.

[spacefreak]

Originally Posted by tie 

A lot of people seem to get decapitated in Iraq. But spacefreak posted some interesting statistics the other day -- I don't remember exactly, but it was something like per capita there are more decapitations in Washington DC than in Baghdad. So it isn't something we should really be concerned with.

Is your memory or reading comprehension really that pathetic?

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Kevin 

Uproar by the same people who rip people's heads off with a dull sword.

Correction: dull knife. But you're right...

[subego]

Originally Posted by dcmacdaddy 

From what I have read, Barzan al-Tikriti was too light for the length of the fall he had.

He was too heavy.

The drop table says 6' of drop for someone weighing 170 pounds, and 8' of drop for someone weighing 120 pounds or less.

If he had been too light, he would have strangled to death while still conscious.

[lpkmckenna]

Originally Posted by Kevin 

Uproar by the same people who rip people's heads off with a dull sword.

That's right, Shi'ites are terrorists.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna 

That's right, Shi'ites are terrorists.

Are we forgetting the numerous Shi'a based groups that HAVE murdered hostages in this brutal manner? I don't recall hearing of such groups that were Suni...

In any case, the irony is valid-protesting an accidentally incorrect mode of death of a convicted killer is one thing, but having the protests apparently organized and led by people who have vocally supported terrorist activities (a spade being a spade) is about as hypocritical as it gets.

[lpkmckenna]

Maybe you didn't get the memo: some dogs are poodles, but not all dogs are poodles.

[RAILhead]

Who cares?

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by The Godfather 

Witness: Executed man's 'head just snapped off'� - CNN.com

It was a technical problem that allowed this to happen to Saddam's brother. Metric vs. Imperial? Measure twice, cut once?

That's why hanging is no longer an option for the death penalty in America. I think Texas was the last state to ban it. On rare occasions, people were decapitated, and it was considered cruel and unusual punishment.

Personally, gas chamber is the absolute worst possible way to go. I don't know why it's still around. I'd take lethal injection, even electric chair over gas chamber.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by RAILhead 

Who cares?

I would imagine the innocent people being labeled as terrorists.

[FireWire]

Originally Posted by olePigeon 

That's why hanging is no longer an option for the death penalty in America. I think Texas was the last state to ban it. On rare occasions, people were decapitated, and it was considered cruel and unusual punishment.

As strange as it sounds, hanging is still permitted in Washington and New Hampshire!

According to HowStuffWorks, "three prisoners have been hanged since the death penalty was reinstituted in 1976."

[UNTeMac]

That still seems like the second worst way to die by hanging. Strangling there for minutes on end would be pretty horrific. Decapitation severs the spinal nerves that transmit pain to the brain. I imagine that from the sudden loss in blood pressure, the man probably lost consciousness within a few seconds. One way or another, his neck was broken. Just not all pretty and comfortable for those watching.

[typoon]

Originally Posted by olePigeon 

I would imagine the innocent people being labeled as terrorists.

Yes but how was this guy an "innocent" person? He helped perpetrate many Mass Killings. He probably should have had his throat slit like he probably authorized his Goons to do.

[lpkmckenna]

Originally Posted by typoon 

Yes but how was this guy an "innocent" person?

No one said he was. Read more carefully next time.

[subego]

Originally Posted by UNTeMac 

That still seems like the second worst way to die by hanging. Strangling there for minutes on end would be pretty horrific. Decapitation severs the spinal nerves that transmit pain to the brain. I imagine that from the sudden loss in blood pressure, the man probably lost consciousness within a few seconds. One way or another, his neck was broken. Just not all pretty and comfortable for those watching.

I would imagine they are actually quite similar. IIRC, you suffocate during a "proper" hanging, it's just that having your neck broken is a guaranteed loss of consciousness.

I would imagine having your head pulled off would "knock" you unconscious as well.

I think you're totally right that the bigger problem is that it's too gruesome for the spectators, which makes the allegation that a hanging which results in decapitation is "cruel and unusual" one of the most offensive forms of hypocrisy.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by typoon 

Yes but how was this guy an "innocent" person? He helped perpetrate many Mass Killings. He probably should have had his throat slit like he probably authorized his Goons to do.

I didn't say that man in particular was innocent. I was just saying that innocent Muslims would probably take offense to being labeled as terrorists just because some terrorists are Muslims.