The official video of hanging of Saddam Hussein's co-defendants screened for reporters Monday showed the former leader's half brother lying headless below the gallows, his severed head several yards away.(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070115/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_hanging_video)
2007-01-15 01:03:04 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in News & Events ➔ Current Events
Yes it can. The length of the drop was to long in this case. Yes, officals should have known that if they had his proper weight figures.
2007-01-15 01:14:37 · answer #1 · answered by blessed mommy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry, couldn't access the link.
Anyway, to answer your question, severed heads have often happened in hangings.
Do you know part of the reason why people are dropped from gallows a few feet and not simply strung up and lifted off the ground with out being dropped? The idea is that the condemned will have their neck break during the fall from the gallows. Nothing stops the fall but the rope around the neck of the condemned. Once the neck breaks the person would immediately black out and not feel any pain. This would be a much kinder, much quicker death to go through than to have to hang for a few minutes and slowly suffocate to death.
If a person is heavy or falls to far the head can be severed. In US prisons where hanging is done, much attention is given to make sure that the rope won't break or bounce (if the rope bounces then the neck may not break and the condemned will have a slow death). It is calculated in advance if the fall of the person will cause the head to sever.
2007-01-15 01:15:01 · answer #2 · answered by Think.for.your.self 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
While I can't rule out purposeful mutilation of the body (or the guy while still alive), I once saw a documentary on hanging. If the rope is not placed JUST RIGHT, it can cause all sorts of mutilation...and yes, decapitation.
The criminal's weight plays a factor as well. Problems like that are more likely to happen with very overweight people. The picture I saw of this guy seemed to show that he was overweight...but how much is hard to say since he was wearing robes.
2007-01-15 02:10:21 · answer #3 · answered by kathy_is_a_nurse 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In Execution Science 101, its a well established fact that the drop distance and weight have to be carefully considered. A light person might not create enough force to break the neck properly and end up slowly dying of strangulation. A heavy person might have his head completely separated. So this was clearly a sloppy excution.
And I'm all choked up about it too.
2007-01-15 01:16:33 · answer #4 · answered by Evita Rodham Clinton 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I remember a few years ago reading about a death row inmate here in the US who was scheduled to be hanged and his lawyers argued, successfully, that it would be cruel and inhumane since the prisoner weighed approx. 400 pounds and faced decapitation or very slow strangulation if he was hanged.
I remember thinking "so what's your point?" :-)
I guess this is the first time that I've actually heard of a prisoner being decapitated during a hanging, but I just can't find any reason to get all choked up about it.
2007-01-15 01:56:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
us of a of america government HAD him... 9/11/2001 they escorted him to a scientific institution. Do the reasearch, it is there. in the event that they wished him, we would have him... as lengthy as he continues to be "at super" politicians will constantly have a reason to invade yet yet another united states for this so-observed as war on terror. Who knows, Bin weighted down could nicely be already in U.S. custody (why else won't be in a position to the main progressed protection rigidity interior the international discover him), at some foreign places facility observing cable, ingesting 3 sq. nutrition on an known basis, getting loose scientific treatment and actually residing extra suited than some human beings (whose tax money are determining to purchase all this, for sure) Sorry to flow off on a tagent, yet to respond to your question... we would under no circumstances pay attention from you lower back, regrettably. Shucks, you are able to dissappear along with his head, and the goverment could nonetheless attempt to make us think of he's "at super"
2016-12-13 07:10:38 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, since I know of it happening before and have wondered to myself why this wouldn't always happen. Once the neck breaks, what is left?
2007-01-15 01:13:54 · answer #7 · answered by Mr.Wise 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Happens all the time.
Sometimes eyes pop out , which is the reason for the hood.
2007-01-15 01:18:35 · answer #8 · answered by Vincent W 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If they drop someone far enough and if they are heavy enough, yes, it can rip off someone's head.
2007-01-15 01:15:54 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They would've had to drop him from way too high...even then ,doubtful.
2007-01-15 01:13:22 · answer #10 · answered by Jed 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋