2007-01-15 02:27:57 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in News & Events ➔ Media & Journalism
Hanging is not an easy thing to get right.
Key to it is the drop.Decapitation is caused by an incorrect calculation regarding the victims weight and the drop used. Its caused by a severing of the Spinal cord between the C1 and C2 vertebrae
Originally, the length of the drop was worked out by the formula 1,260 foot pounds divided by the body weight of the prisoner in pounds = drop in feet.
This was later revised, in more recent times to give a final "striking" force of around 1,000 lbs. Iraqi Exectution tables for wight and drop are not known!
Albert Pierpoint (one of England's better known hangmen) used to famously observe the condemned in the excersize yard to gauge their size and weight in order to perfect the right drop.
Edit (16.01.07) - this has been covered in todays newspaper
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2548900,00.html
2007-01-15 02:42:51 · answer #1 · answered by GL 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Probably an issue with his body weight and the rope being used. It was either a mistake or someone trying to be cruel. I'm sure there's going to be some kind of investigation.
2007-01-15 13:30:51 · answer #2 · answered by Knowledge 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I can't be "sure" that this was the case, but historically people have literally had their heads "ripped off" during hanging. They may not have had the noose properly placed.
2007-01-15 10:32:55 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He probably weighed mosr than they expected and the extra weight tore his body off the rope
2007-01-15 10:31:07 · answer #4 · answered by SteveT 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probably the body weighed too much for the drop. It does happen.
2007-01-15 10:31:37 · answer #5 · answered by wildbill05733 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away!
2007-01-15 10:59:23 · answer #6 · answered by $Sun King$ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've heard speculation that the rope was too long and therefore the drop was too long. Not sure.
2007-01-15 11:49:25 · answer #7 · answered by Q&A Queen 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I wonder if his body was twitching when it hit the ground.
2007-01-15 10:39:12 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Do we really care ??
2007-01-15 10:35:47 · answer #9 · answered by L J 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Uh oh. Did it kill him?
2007-01-15 10:31:34 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋