Death penalty
- FROM MIDDLE AGES TO TODAY:
In Europe, in the Middle Ages, there´s a great confusion and overlapping of powers, because the feudal system provided many powerful men, the king or the emperor and the feudatories ; so there were many men who could comminate punishments, even the capital one, which was applied for crimes such as murder, theft, sacrilege and high treason, sometimes respecting the laws, but often in arbitrary way. It was applied through beheading, hanging, drowning and torture till death.
There was a long time in the European history when death penalty was applied for delicts that are now considered of opinion. The fusion of politic and religious power caused for many centuries the condemnation of people who were against the Church ideas, in all ranges (political, scientific, etc.), and also there were many women condemned and burned, like witches.
Over the centuries, death penalty was still in use in many countries and new death instruments were frequently added. For example, in the France of the Ancienne Regime it was executed in different and terrible ways according to the social class of the culprit and the committed crime: the hanging was for the countrymen, the beheading for the nobles, the wheel for the heaviest crimes, the stakes for the religious crimes, the quartering for the crimes against the State. During the Revolution, different penalties were abolished and guillotine was introduced for everyone.
Death penalty remained in the largest part of legal systems until the end of the 18th century, when the attempts to oppose it started to be many and important.
From the 19th century, in many States, first in some western one, then in many others, death penalty was abolished, and it was substituted with other punishments like the life imprisonment. During this century it still was used by some dictatorial governments to get rid of the people who opposed them, for reasons of ideology or skin colour, like in South Africa during the apartheid, in Russia in the time of Lenin and Stalin, in Europe in the time of the Nazism.
At the dawn of the 21st century, the death penalty is considered by most civilized nations as a cruel and inhuman punishment. It has been abolished de facto by 106 nations, 30 countries have been abolished it since 1990.
In many States the death penalty is still in use, and the people, in the largest part of cases, agree to this extreme penalty. In many countries, especially the ones which have a dictatorial regime, death penalty is applied quite arbitrarily by the powerful ones, though there have been written laws since many centuries.
The death penalty continues to be commonly applied in other in other nations. China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United States and Iran are the most prolific executioners in the world. Indeed, the US is one of 6 countries (including also Iran,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen) which executes people who were under 18 years old at the time they committed their crimes.
- SOME EXECUTION-METHODS:
® Lethal injection:
Lethal injection is the most common used means of execution in the United States of America. The condemned is secured on a gurney and receives several drugs intravenous. The saline
intravenous lines are turned off and the thiopental sodium is injected which puts the inmate into a deep sleep. A second chemical agent, procuronium bromide (the generic name for Pavulon), follows. This agent is a total muscle relaxer. The inmate stops breathing and dies soon afterward.
® Electrocution:
Electrocution produces visibly destructive effects as the body´s internal organs are burned; the prisoner often leaps forward against the restraining straps when the switch is thrown. The body changes colour, the flesh swells and may even catch fire. The prisoner may defecate, urinate or vomit blood. Witnesses always report that there is a smell of burning flesh.
® Gas chamber:
The prisoner is restrained in a hermetically scaled steel chamber below which is a pan. Upon a signal, the executioner opens a valve, flowing hydrochloric acid into the pan. On a second signal, about 8 ounces of potassium cyanide crystals or tablets are dropped mechanically into the acid, producing hydrocyanic gas, which destroys the ability of blood hemoglobin to perform. (The root word of cyanide, cyan, denotes a blue color, descriptive of the body´s hue) Unconciousness occurs within a few seconds if the prisoner takes a deep breath, and longer if he or she holds their breath. Death usually occurs within 6 to 18 minutes. After pronouncement of death, the chamber is evacuated through carbon and neutralizing filters. Gas-masked crews decontaminate the body with a bleach solution and outgassed prior to release. An unwary undertaker could be killed if this is not done.
® Hanging:
The prisoner is weighed prior to execution. The “drop” is based on the prisoners weight, to deliver 1260 footpounds of force to the neck. Essentially, the prisoner´s weight in pounds is divided into 1260 to arrive at a drop in feet. This is to assure almost instant death, a minimum of bruising, and neither strangulation nor beheading. Properly done, death is by dislocation of the third or fourth cervical vertebrae. The familiar noose coil is placed behind the prisoners left ear, so as to snap the neck upon dropping.
® Fire squad:
There is reportedly no protocol for the procedure which according to information involves a fife man team, one of who will use a blank bullet so that none of them knows who was the real executioner.
Frequently asked questions
What is the historical context of the death penalty in Europe?
In the Middle Ages, the death penalty was common, applied for crimes like murder, theft, sacrilege, and high treason. The feudal system's overlapping powers meant many figures could impose capital punishment, sometimes arbitrarily. It evolved to include executions for dissenting opinions, fueled by the fusion of political and religious power. Methods varied by social class, with hanging for commoners, beheading for nobles, and more gruesome punishments for serious crimes. The French Revolution brought about the guillotine as a more egalitarian method of execution.
When did opposition to the death penalty begin to emerge?
Serious attempts to oppose the death penalty began in the late 18th century. By the 19th century, many Western states started abolishing it, replacing it with punishments like life imprisonment. However, dictatorial regimes continued using it for political repression throughout the 20th century.
What is the current status of the death penalty globally?
The death penalty is considered a cruel and inhuman punishment by most civilized nations. As of the early 21st century, a significant number of countries have abolished it de facto. However, it remains in use in many states, often with public support. Dictatorial regimes may apply it arbitrarily. China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United States, and Iran are among the most prolific executioners.
Which countries execute juvenile offenders?
The United States is one of a handful of countries (including Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen) that have executed individuals who were under 18 years old at the time they committed their crimes.
What are some common methods of execution?
Common methods include lethal injection (most common in the US), electrocution, gas chamber, hanging, and firing squad. Each method has its own specific procedures and potential physical effects on the condemned.
What are the details of the lethal injection process?
Lethal injection involves securing the condemned to a gurney and administering several drugs intravenously. First, thiopental sodium is injected to induce a deep sleep. Then, procuronium bromide (a muscle relaxer) is administered, which causes the inmate to stop breathing, leading to death.
What are the physical effects of electrocution?
Electrocution produces visibly destructive effects, burning the body's internal organs. The body often leaps forward against the restraining straps, changes color, and may swell or even catch fire. Witnesses often report a smell of burning flesh. The prisoner may defecate, urinate, or vomit blood.
How does execution by gas chamber work?
The prisoner is restrained in a sealed chamber, and hydrochloric acid is released into a pan below. Potassium cyanide crystals or tablets are then dropped into the acid, producing hydrocyanic gas, which prevents blood hemoglobin from functioning. Unconsciousness occurs within seconds (depending on breathing), and death usually occurs within 6 to 18 minutes. The chamber is then decontaminated.
How is hanging performed?
Prior to the execution, the prisoner is weighed. The "drop" is calculated based on their weight to deliver a specific force to the neck, ensuring quick death by dislocation of the cervical vertebrae. The noose coil is placed behind the left ear to facilitate snapping the neck upon dropping.
What is the procedure for execution by firing squad?
The procedure typically involves a five-man team, with one using a blank bullet so that none of them knows who was the real executioner.
What is the overall conclusion about the death penalty?
Regardless of the method, the death penalty is considered a barbaric anachronism and should be abolished.
- Quote paper
- Stefanie Pietsch (Author), 2000, Death Penalty. History and Execution Methods, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/100355
