Methods of Capital Punishment

[Simon Darkshade]

And now, another morbid tidbit from the twisted mind of Darkshade:

For those in favour of capital punishment, how should it be carried out?
Electrocution, lethal gas, shooting, hanging, beheading, lethal injection, or some other...interesting option?

Note, for those who are against the death penalty, DO NOT hijack this thread for your purpose. This is designed to find out what the opinions are on how it should be done, not whether it should be done.

I do think that the American system of lethal injections is a bit too humane and nice. There is a certain evil charm to the old methods.
And the injection process can bugger up some of the time.

I generally like the Russian/Soviet and Chinese method of a bullet to the back of the head. Quick, cheap, humane and quite hard to mess up.

Hanging can go wrong on a very few occasions, but was popular for its quaint simplicity and rustic charm.

Beheading has a lovely 'continental' atmosphere about it, what with the Tower of London, and the Sunday outings to see the guillotinings, and is generally regarded as instantaneous, but has its problems if left in the hands of amateurs.

Gas probably does take too long, and cause too much horror,and is therefore best put to on side.
Electrocution can get messy, and indeed fail at times, and the bill at the end of the month can be quite astronomical.

Burning at the stake is an interesting cheap option, with wood and matches available at most retail outlets, but is dependent on the weather a great deal. Not to mention the smoke obscuring the view of the TV news cameras looking for quick pic for the evening news. The pollution aspect also means that this option is probably not going to make a come back any time soon.

Impalement also features cheap and simple materials, but has got a bit of bad rap ever since Vlad Tepes went a little overboard...

So, Darkshade nominates shooting, in a close race over impalement and burning.

What do you think?

 

[amadeus]

Shoot 'em on site...just like old Uncle Joe.

 

[Sixchan]

The most human way is gas. Put a breathing mask on him and pump in Carbon Monoxide gas at a high pressure. The subject falls asleep within seconds and doesn't wake up. I'll have to go for Other, since Hung, Drawn and Quartered isn't there, though.

 

[Greadius]

Couldn't there be an option that capital punishment is wrong?

 

[Ohwell]

Originally posted by Simon Darkshade
Note, for those who are against the death penalty, DO NOT hijack this thread for your purpose. This is designed to find out what the opinions are on how it should be done, not whether it should be done.

I say shoot them. It is the traditional way to do it, and the cheapest too. Humane too

 

[Apollo]

I like the iron maiden myself (not the band, although it would probably work too). It would be great for television audiences because they wouldn't actually be able to see the gruesome death, but they would be able to hear the screams and then have their lust for blood satisfied when the iron maiden is opened back up. Also one could make an assembly line out of it, with the entertainment lined up and one-by-one being brought forward and put into the iron maiden, the door being slammed shut, a five second pause to allow for any spasms, and then opened back up and the body removed.

This method offers a cheap, renewable resource that is often overlooked when discussing torture and death.

 

[allan]

Most humane seems to be the firing squad. Lethal injection can sometimes produce painful complications before death, as can gas (although probably not CO--that wouldn't be so bad).

Only thing about the firing squad is, I'd be sh*tting my pants when I heard the safeties click off on all those rifles (blindfold or no). But nothing wrong with a violent criminal feeling a little bit of fear--at least we're worried he doesn't feel pain....

 

[dannyevilcat]

Couldn't there be an option that capital punishment is wrong?

Could be, if it was actually wrong...

I think we should all go the way of Vlad. Bastards commit the crimes worthy of capital punishment, so why not stick em on a pike and put some good old-fashioned terror into the hearts of the uncaught guilty?

 

[SunTzu]

Eye for an Eye
kill murderers and castrate rapist

 

[Apollo]

Originally posted by SunTzu
Eye for an Eye
kill murderers and castrate rapist

Actually wouldn't sodomizing be closer to "Eye for an Eye" when dealing with rapists?

 

[Hitro]

Originally posted by Apollo
Actually wouldn't sodomizing be closer to "Eye for an Eye" when dealing with rapists?

Yep, definetely

How about cutting thieves hands off?
You guys could inact that muslim laws, like some countries already did, obviously you like that

About the thread, are you talking about the most humane way, the most effective way, or the way that rocks most?
Killing isn't really humane at all so why bother that, though no sensitive human being could advocate Engelbert Humperdinck
Gas is the most effective of course...
The third question (the ultimate coolness of killing) is hard to answer as it is a matter of taste.

Burning looks rather ugly and you still want to be able to have a nice barbecue afterwards, do you?

Lethal injection is boring, people want to see these evildoers suffer, if they're guilty or not

Impalement is too bloody, who will clean that mess up?

Beheading is so 18th century

Shooting should be reserved for firing squads in war, what's the points about starting a war if you do that in peacetime?

Electrocution is just an example for American cultural imperialism.

That leaves hanging and gas. Pick your favourite.
I'm wating for the favourite genocide poll

 

[Simon Darkshade]

As I said, keep the "capital punishment is wrong" stuff in its own threads, and let us have our fun here.

The choice is based upon your own preference for "what rocks the most", with a slight tinge of seriousness.

With shooting, I believe a firing squad is a waste of resources.
One guy with a pistol at point blank range can do the same job, and save the torso organs for transplant.

Impalement and burning do refute the argument that the process of execution has become so sanitised as to lose its deterent value.

And the use of Engelbert Humperdinck would be reserved for the most heinous of crimes, such as criticizing the film "North".

 

[BigBirdZ28]

Originally posted by SunTzu
kill murderers and castrate rapist

Exactly.

 

[IceBlaZe]

PaleHorse76 : Moderator Action: O.K., getting a little too graphic. This thread isn't "Let's gross out all the other posters". What you are suggesting is torture and that will not be allowed.
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

 

[MrPresident]

I can't believe this hasn't been closed yet.

PaleHorse76 : It's being edited for unacceptable content, rest assured.

 

[Simon Darkshade]

Originally posted by MrPresident
I can't believe this hasn't been closed yet.

Tell me, why is that? The purpose of the thread is perfectly serious and legitimate, and most of the responses have been quite nice and within the pale. It is a question that merits some consideration, in the context of an overall look at capital punishment.
I do not see anything particularly objectionable within the thread, unless you are an Engelbert Humperdinck fan (if there is such a thing)

 

[Ohwell]

Originally posted by MrPresident
I can't believe this hasn't been closed yet.

I can.

With shooting, I believe a firing squad is a waste of rescources.
One guy with a pistol at point blank range can do the same job, and save the torso organs for transplant.

YEAH!

That's what I meant. Just shoot them in the head, they don't even feel anything, and it only costs a bullet, assuming the executioners already had the gun. Though I didn't think about the organs... That seems a bit reasonable, they are helping good people live.

 

[Hitro]

Originally posted by Simon Darkshade

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by MrPresident
I can't believe this hasn't been closed yet.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Tell me, why is that? The purpose of the thread is perfectly serious and legitimate, and most of the responses have been quite nice and within the pale. It is a question that merits some consideration, in the context of an overall look at capital punishment.

I agree, I see no point in closing such a thread.
(Note: I am strongly against capital punishment!)

But I have to say that it is a little weird that a thread like "How do you want to die?" is a problem, while this is not...

With shooting, I believe a firing squad is a waste of resources.
One guy with a pistol at point blank range can do the same job, and save the torso organs for transplant.

Now is it about efficiency or "coolness"?
Sure a single person shooting is more efficient in terms of resources but does that make up for the loss in style?

Originally posted by IceBlaze
PaleHorse76 : Moderator Action: Edited
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

Hmm, could be true, but your anal fixation is questionable...

 

[Simon Darkshade]

Originally posted by Hitro

Now is it about efficiency or "coolness"?
Sure a single person shooting is more efficient in terms of resources but does that make up for the loss in style?

This method combines efficiency and "coolness". It is very efficient, cheap and easy. It combines being quite humane with a bit of a shock.
It isn't just a little injection, but a violent act that clearly expresses the consequences of actions. Think of the memorable picture of the Saigon police chief executing a Viet Cong terrorist; it comes to mind more easily than a guy strapped to a gurney who stops breathing.

Furthermore in the "cool stakes" , it makes more great, theatrical justice. The appeal has been refused, the judge leans over his desk and booms out mightily:
"In your actions, you dared society to stop you. Well, consider yourself stopped! Take him outside and shoot him!"
And it is done.
That type of process does hold some appeal to me, in that it is swift justice. Once proven guilty using all the appropriate means, there is no dragging of feet, or turning the whole process into a perverse circus that is a painful insult to all involved parties...
And with the bullet to the head, the other organs can be used to help save lives. A Utah style firing squad does not allow this, and does complicate the issue unnecessarily.

I wouldn't characterize one reference to a part of anatomy as a fixation, but if it is followed by five hundred, then maybe

Impalement and burning are rather extreme methods, I'll give you that, but in certain situations could be eminently suitable. They also allow for extended television commentary.
David Letterman could do a live cross to a burning, and if he gets in early, conduct an exclusive final interview with fireproof microphone
The responses would not doubt be fiery, but eventually calm down, as the condemned individual would be rather burned out

 

[Hitro]

Originally posted by Simon Darkshade
I wouldn't characterize one reference to a part of anatomy as a fixation, but if it is followed by five hundred, then maybe

Maybe fixation wasn't the best word for it. But impalement doesn't necessarily be conducted rectally, or does it?
Isn't the usual method of killing vampires also impalement?
Anyway, this statement:

Moderator Action: edited
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

simply sounded a little...hmm...weird to me.

The responses would not doubt be fiery, but eventually calm down, as the condemned individual would be rather burned out

Okay, I admit that burning could save late night television for years.

You still haven't convinced me of the single person shooting method. The setting with the judge and the appeal could be created with any method. The preparations for the other ways could be taken in a possible commercial break.

EDIT: The good old break/brake mistake