# What's the point of death by electrocution? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 5, 2004, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599 "2004-07-05T04:48:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/21 "2004-07-05T20:59:41Z")
We don’t need a debate about the morality of the death penalty in this forum. Let’s stick to the facts about how electrocution became the legally prescribed punishment in many jurisdictions, and why it has ceased to be in most jurisdictions. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/22 "2004-07-05T21:11:35Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > We don’t need a debate about the morality of the death penalty in this forum. > [@PaulFitzroy](#): > > This is just my opinion, but the electric chair strikes me as the kind of thing that a sick, demented science fiction writer would come up with. I think it’s far from a humane method of execution. Wouldn’t a bullet in the head be a million times cheaper, faster, easier and more painless? > [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > I submit to you that Quick & Painless (and thus humane) are not the objectives. Bad on me for putting my the IMHO spin on this answer to this part of the OP. (sincere post–no snark. Honest.) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/23 "2004-07-05T21:18:43Z")
> [@](#): > > Long drop hanging compares very well in terms of speed and precision compared to other methods. As you say, the purpose of the “long drop” was to kill the condemned instantly; but unless it was done within parameters, the killing would be either slow or gruesome. If the drop wasn’t long enough, the condemned might strangle to death. (Think: “Hang by the neck until dead”.) If the drop was too great, then the condemn’s heat might be ripped off. I saw a (fictional) film once where a seaman was executed. A noose was placed around his neck, and the rope was thrown over a yardarm. Crew members just hauled him up, for a non-long drop style strangulation. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/24 "2004-07-05T21:31:30Z")
No blood? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/25 "2004-07-06T05:03:10Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > Maybe a pneumatic (or hydraulic?) piston-mounted bolt or spike fired through the brain stem and into the brain would be preferable. It would destroy the brain about as fast as a bullet to the head, but without actually bursting the skull. Interesting thought. This is pretty much how cattle are slaughtered nowadays, so the technology is obviously well-developed. I wonder why this has never been suggested as an execution method … ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/26 "2004-07-06T05:25:16Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I think they should seriously consider: > > •death by opiate IV overdose > •death by carbon monoxide inhalation > •death by atmospheric depressurization / anoxia > > These are all noncruel and do not create gory messes, nor do they require extensive complicated ritualistic prep work. One of the more intriguing suggestions I’ve heard is to use plain old nitrogen. It’s cheap, effective, and painless – since there’s no buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood, the person merely falls asleep and dies of anoxia. It’s not a dangerous gas like CO or cyanide (hell, 70% of our atmosphere is composed of it.) And it leaves the organs viable for harvesting afterwards – that’s one of the drawbacks of lethal injection, which poisons the body so much that the organs can’t be used. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/27 "2004-07-06T06:34:52Z")
> [@bughunter](#): > > . > > Especially considering [what it replaced](http://www.fact-index.com/d/dr/drawing_and_quartering.html). However, it has a reputation as one of the most horrific and dreadful deaths. The french version of quartering (normally reserved for attempts of assasination on the king) was different from the one described there. Each limb was attached to a horse pulling in a different direction until the limbs would be torn apart the body. Sometimes, the hand of the criminal would be first burnt with boiling sulfur. Then , I’m not sure it was the worst way. Counterfeiters were executed by boiling them. There’s also skinning, depicted in a famous painting “the prevaricating judge”… By the way, I’m not convinced popular support for death sentence would be reduced by making these executions public. Executions ceased to be public in France during the 30’s because they amounted to a festivity. People would bring or sell food and beverages during the excutions, would organize parties on rented balconies with view on the execution place, would cheer the executionner, etc…I’m sure public executions would still attract happy crowd, not necessarily angered, at the contrary, if the execution is botched as described in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/28 "2004-07-06T06:47:53Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > And it leaves the organs viable for harvesting afterwards – that’s one of the drawbacks of lethal injection, which poisons the body so much that the organs can’t be used. Sounds good to me…_how_ many people’s lives are saved or extended by harvesting one person’s organs? Isn’t it like six or more? (And that’s not even counting things like skin, corneas, bone marrow, blood, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/29 "2004-07-06T08:16:25Z")
> [@SCSimmons](#): > > Interesting thought. This is pretty much how cattle are slaughtered nowadays, so the technology is obviously well-developed. I wonder why this has never been suggested as an execution method … It probably wouldn’t go over well as soon as someone mentioned “cattle slaughter.” Executions can’t be cruel, but they also can’t be perceived as cruel. Public perception, not scientific study of what the victim is feeling, seems to be the most important. Note the above references to botched electrocutions. Only a few of them were possibly uncomfortable for the electrocutee. So what if flames spurt out of the headset? The guy at that point can’t feel anything (or at least that’s the theory). So what if his eyes pop out? But, when these things do happen, a bunch of people point to it and say how horrible electrocution is. It’s the same with hanging. So what if the head pops off? How is that any worse than a hanging done right from the victim’s point of view? Either way his neck is broken and he’s unconcious before he’s probably aware of what is happening. But the public thinks its horrible when it happens. Then the executioners err on the side of caution to make sure the head doesn’t pop off, and if they err too far the other way the poor guy spends many long minutes up there before he finally expires. Having a huge concrete block come down and squish the guy’s head flat would be quick and painless for the victim, but also would never even be considered because of the “eww” factor. Personally though, I think anything that instantly mushes your brain wouldn’t be that bad of a way to go. It would certainly be better than hanging or guillotine. Cecil seems to think that you may be concious for several seconds after a decapitation. I assume hanging would be similar. I wonder if anyone has every considered organ donation as a means of execution? You just put the guy to sleep, harvest all of his organs, including his heart, and once all of the organs are out just turn off the machines the way one normally does in this sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/30 "2004-07-06T11:50:12Z")
I must say that carbon monoxide or nitrogen sound like the best methods if we’re truely interested in humane executions. They’re painless, and don’t offer any possibility for dramatic, gruesome mishaps. > [@](#): > > After reading of those horribly botched electrocutions it occured to me that it’s possible a sadistic executioner could be responsible. I mean, it’s just a wild guess but who in their right mind would want to have that job. I wonder about this myself. What kind of person would take a job that requires killing human beings in cold blood? I have to figure that most of these guys have either (A) a depraved indifference to human life, or (B) a severe drinking problem. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/31 "2004-07-06T12:31:13Z")
> [@](#): > > I must say that carbon monoxide or nitrogen sound like the best methods if we’re truely interested in humane executions. From [this site](http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution/carbonmonoxide/cofaq.htm): > [@](#): > > The most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. High levels of carbon monoxide ingestion can cause loss of consciousness and death. Sounds a bit cruel; not to mention the negative [historical precident](http://history.acusd.edu/gen/WW2Timeline/holocaust.html): > [@](#): > > October 1939 - Hitler authorized the euthanasia program, the systematic killing of the mentally and physically handicapped in institutions, using carbon monoxide gas chambers at six locations: Bernburg, Brandenburg, Grafeneck, Hadamar, Hartheim, and Sonnenstein… > > July 31, 1941… Using firing squads and carbon monoxide trucks, the squads killed more that a million Jews in Russia by the end of 1942… > > December 12, 1941… The first extermination camp was Chelmno in Poland that began mass killings December 8 using the carbon monoxide mobile vans… ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/32 "2004-07-06T17:33:10Z")
Yes, **Q.E.D.** I am quite real. Fact 1: Crucifixion was once viewed as an everyday method of killing criminals even at the level of thieves. Fact 2: Well over 50% of the population of the US would never accept a law to bring it back. Fact 3: Slightly over 0% of the population of the US would accept a law to bring it back. The existence of things like Facts 1 and 2 are completely immaterial to this thread. Things like Fact 2 are what matters. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/33 "2004-07-06T17:42:00Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > The existence of things like Facts 1 and 2 are completely immaterial to this thread. Things like Fact 2 are what matters. What are you babbling about? We’re not talking about reinstating an obviously cruel method of execution, like crucifixion or srawing-and-quartering. We’re discussing the public televising/viewing/exhibiting of _existing_, arguably humane, methods of capital punishment. Do you not see the difference? ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/34 "2004-07-06T17:49:10Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > It probably wouldn’t go over well as soon as someone mentioned “cattle slaughter.” Well once someone explains that making the cattle unconscious by either a blast of air or a bolt is considered (at least from what I’ve heard) pretty much humane. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/35 "2004-07-06T19:06:22Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > I wonder if anyone has every considered organ donation as a means of execution? You just put the guy to sleep, harvest all of his organs, including his heart, and once all of the organs are out just turn off the machines the way one normally does in this sort of thing. Very sensible, except the harvesting would most likely be done by a doctor (not a mere liver donation technicial ala Monty Python) and would result in the intentional death of the patient. Doctors have a problem with that. It’s why the only role of a doctor in executions is to confirm the death even though they are probably the best qualified to suggest the quickest and most painless method. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/36 "2004-07-06T19:19:40Z")
Cecil answered the question in the first book. Look it up yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/37 "2004-07-06T22:42:10Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > Very sensible, except the harvesting would most likely be done by a doctor (not a mere liver donation technicial ala Monty Python) and would result in the intentional death of the patient. Doctors have a problem with that. It’s why the only role of a doctor in executions is to confirm the death even though they are probably the best qualified to suggest the quickest and most painless method. Maybe med students, then? “Aw, man…I flunked _again!_” Well, maybe not. ::Grumbles:: Lousy Hipocrates…always getting in the way. But seriously, from my understanding, doctors _could_ perform the organ harvesting if the “patient” is already brain-dead, right? So, all you’d need is some way of killing the brain while leaving the body intact. I think that leaves: •Bullet to the Brain •Bolt/Spike Through the Brain •Decapitation •Nitrogen Poisoning •Head Crushing And…I dunno, maybe sedating the prisoner, drilling a hole in his/her skull, and mechanically destroying the brain from there? You could probably even destroy it using chemicals, or electrodes applied directly to the brain. Or maybe you could sedate the prisoner, and use powerful microwaves to cook his brain from the inside out? No messy skull-drilling, then. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/38 "2004-07-06T23:21:22Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > I wonder if anyone has every considered organ donation as a means of execution? You just put the guy to sleep, harvest all of his organs, including his heart, and once all of the organs are out just turn off the machines the way one normally does in this sort of thing. > [@Ranchoth](#): > > Sounds good to me…how many people’s lives are saved or extended by harvesting one person’s organs? Isn’t it like six or more? (And that’s not even counting things like skin, corneas, bone marrow, blood, etc.) Go read “The Jigsaw Man” by Larry Niven. It’s the entire premise for the story, and a recurring theme within several others (e.g. “A Gift from Earth”). ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/39 "2004-07-06T23:33:52Z")
Well getting back to electrocution, if done properly, I have heard it to be a humane method of execution. Of course as others have said, the executee does not get to witness the gore (if any). Here’s a related question. Do _all_ prisons have their own generator for performing electrocutions? I would think that they do. NOT because wall current would be insufficient. (No doubt a clever chap could devise a circuit that could pack a “wollop” just from wall current. Also, the prison could use some of the higher current and/or voltage lines that the electric company usually keeps way up on the poles for safety sake). I would think that the “electric company” would like to remain detached from executions - possibility of bad PR, nasty letters, etc. Also, wouldn’t it be weird (whether you are pro OR anti) death penalty, that when you turned on a switch you would think … gee these are the same power lines _and_ electric company that were used to execute that guy. (Probably _another_ association I would think that electric companies would _not_ want). ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599/40 "2004-07-07T03:45:21Z")
> [@wolf\_meister](#): > > Also, wouldn’t it be weird (whether you are pro OR anti) death penalty, that when you turned on a switch you would think … gee these are the same power lines _and_ electric company that were used to execute that guy. (Probably _another_ association I would think that electric companies would _not_ want). Just imagine the commericals though " GE we bring good things to life…except that dirty dirty mass murderer Bubba Evans." [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-death-by-electrocution/253599.md?page=3)