# Execution by drowning? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 24, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928 "2009-10-24T01:42:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/121 "2009-10-29T21:04:28Z")
I for one disapprove of regularly mixing organ transplant and execution. “Jury, as you consider the evidence, keep in mind that every criminal sentenced to the death penalty saves the lives of three innocent and upstanding citizens. Mind you, that has nothing to do with the determination of guilt. Nothing at all…” Regardless, pick your goals first and the method after: Dead, cheaply: bullet to the back of the head “execution style” Dead, cheaply and not so messily: gas 'em with something fatal, be it cyanide or CO2. Dead, cheaply and theatrically and you want their organs: beheading Dead, cheaply and vengefully and messily: steamroller, slowly, feet-first. Dead, ineffectively: lethal injection by amateurs When you know what you want, it’s easy to choose a method. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/122 "2009-10-30T01:35:28Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > But that’s what they do now, and that [winning formula is still elusive](http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/information-about-romell-broom-botched-execution). Bah! It comes back to they could use more effective drugs and techniques if they really wanted to. I often suspect the authorities who legislate the types of drugs used and other details don’t really care to put enough thought into it. The bottom line is there’s no reason an execution cannot be conducted quickly and efficiently. Hand-wringing while saying, “Oh dear me, doctors and nurses cannot ethically participate, so there’s no way this can be done,” just don’t wash. I still vote for the guillotine. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/123 "2009-10-30T03:01:40Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Bah! It comes back to they could use more effective drugs and techniques if they really wanted to. I often suspect the authorities who legislate the types of drugs used and other details don’t really care to put enough thought into it. Them’s fightin’ words in Texas. ---
**Author:** ![BomTek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bomtek/32/21364_2.png) [@BomTek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BomTek)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/124 "2009-10-30T08:29:00Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Bone marrow for transplant doesn’t come from the arms or legs. [It usually comes from the pelvis](http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/medicine/bonemarrow/bmtinfo.html), in the iliac crest region. Hey, that problem’s solved then! > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > You know, if your goal is to inflict as much suffering as possible, and still retain organs for transplant… That’s not really what I was going for… sorry if I gave that impression. My goal is to get them good and dead and still retain organs for transplant. Causing the condemned to suffer some pain is a nice side effect for some (including myself, if I’m being honest), but not a requirement, which is why I included other, less painful methods in my first post in this thread. > [@begbert2](#): > > I for one disapprove of regularly mixing organ transplant and execution. “Jury, as you consider the evidence, keep in mind that every criminal sentenced to the death penalty saves the lives of three innocent and upstanding citizens. Mind you, that has nothing to do with the determination of guilt. Nothing at all…” Hadn’t thought of this… not sure how to solve this particular dilemma, but I wouldn’t propose that this link should be widely publicised or acknowledged. I wouldn’t think the general public would care much, anyway, would they? Does the average person often ponder the donor organ supply? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/125 "2009-10-30T18:13:50Z")
> [@BomTek](#): > > Hadn’t thought of this… not sure how to solve this particular dilemma, but I wouldn’t propose that this link should be widely publicised or acknowledged. I wouldn’t think the general public would care much, anyway, would they? Does the average person often ponder the donor organ supply? We have a donor organ supply? 😉 Regardless, I am dubious about the idea of systematically (or automatically, against their will?) looting criminals for their organs, in large part because I feel that there’s a distinction between deciding that you have the right to kill someone and the right to despoil their corpse. But that’s just me - I think the _average’s_ person’s response to the extraction of organs from criminals would be, “wait, you want to give me the heart of a serial killer? Ew, that’d make me into a psycho!” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928/126 "2009-10-30T19:30:33Z")
If I need a heart transplant, you could rip it out of the chest of a protesting Nobel Prize winner for all I care. Just kidding, sorta. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/execution-by-drowning/514928.md?page=6)