In history has anyone ever survived a seating in the electric chair?

Question

Also when being killed by the gullotine(sorry cant spell it) is it true that the head can still speak for a few seconds after it has be decapitated?

Answer 1

electric chair: yes, however they just turn the chair on again until the person dies. Its not like if they survive they get off.

Guillotine: the head cant speak, because you have to have lungs to force the air through the vocal cords, but there have been cases where people would blink in response. "Blink once if you can hear me" that type of thing


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Answer 2

The protocol to execute a prisoner in most states is as follows:


A. Prior to the execution of a member of the condemned's head and left calf will be shaved. An hour or so before the execution, the sponges that will be attached to his body with the electrodes will be soaked in a carefully measured amount of salt water. Five members of the execution team and Defendant Parker will walk to the inmate's cell and take him to the electric chair. The inmate won't be sedated.

B. Simultaneously, a team will place leather straps around the legs, arms and chest, and place electrodes on the head and leg. The team will have practiced daily by then, so the process of readying the inmate should take 30 to 45 seconds.

C. The Warden will ask the inmate if he has any last words. A hood will be drawn over his head.

D. Then 2,400 volts will be delivered for seven seconds, followed by 600 volts for 17 seconds; the process will be repeated. After five minutes, a physician will check the heartbeat. If the heart is still beating, the voltage will be delivered again.[N. 17.]

And to answer the other question: a head cannot Speak after being severed because the vocal chords are not there and the air that is propelled from the lungs to vibrate the vocal chords is not there

Answer 3

I believe there have been people who survived the electric chair. Mainly because of errors on the part of those who set it up. It wasn't pretty though. Very very ugly burns.

I don't think the head can speak after decapitation. There's no air from the lungs to make sounds. But there is an account of a doctor observing someone for about 40 seconds after decapitation and the person made eye contact when his name was called and his lips moved.

Answer 4

The condemned are given two jolts to make sure they are dead. A Dr. confirms this, if the condemned is still alive (which does happen) more jolts are given until the prisoner is expired. A decapitated head cannot speak because there is no breath moving through the vocal chords. However it was noted that some heads would look around and respond to stimulus for up to five minutes after separation. This is what lead to it eventual banning.

Answer 5

Willie Francis (c. 1930 – May 9, 1947) was a 17 year old African American sentenced to death by electrocution by the state of Louisiana in 1946 (at age 16) for murdering Andrew Thomas, a drugstore owner who employed him. His case is notable as being the first known incident of a failed execution by electrocution in the United States.

The murder remained unsolved for nine months, until August 1945 when Francis was detained due to his proximity to an unrelated crime. In his pocket was Andrew Thomas' wallet.

Francis named several others in connection with the murder, but the police were never able to find them. A short time later, Francis directed the police to where he'd disposed of the holster used to carry the murder weapon.

Despite two separate written confessions, Francis pleaded not guilty. Nevertheless, eight days after the trial began, Willie Francis stood convicted of murder and sentenced to death.

At his execution, the electric chair failed to kill Willie Francis, who reportedly shrieked "Stop it! Let me breathe!" as the lethal surge of electricity was being applied. It turned out that the portable electric chair had been improperly set up by an intoxicated trustee.

After the botched execution, Francis appealed to the Supreme Court in Francis v. Resweber, 329 U.S. 459 (1947), citing various violations of his Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights. These included violations of equal protection, double jeopardy, and cruel and unusual punishment. In a 5-4 decision the appeal was rejected. The dissenting opinion asked just how many attempted executions it took before it became cruel and unusual.

Subsequently, Willie Francis was executed on May 9, 1947.

As for the other question --

Other responders are correct in that a decapitated head can't talk (no lungs), but they've been known to continue moving for a few moments after decapitation.

Answer 6

many people survived the first buzz of an electric chair, it used to be that if someone was sentenced to death by hanging (and i believe by chair in the beginning) and the rope broke (or something else happened) and the person survived, it was deemed god's will and they would be set free. this is no longer the case. the guillotine has been known to sever the head so quickly that oxygen rich blood remains in the brain keeping the victim conscious for upwards of 8 seconds, but the vocal cords would be lower than the point where the head was served so the victim could not speak. still being conscious for eight seconds and seeing your headless body infront of you..........creepy.

Answer 7

I hear alot of vocal cord vibration is caused by air coming from the lungs, and a decpitated head.....it would be difficult.
But watch The Adams Family and Evil Alien Conquerors.

Answer 8

During the 'terror' a french nobleman who was also a scientist was sentenced to the guillotine. He spoke with his friends and arranged an experiment. He told them that after his head was cut off, he would blink for as long as possible.
His friends reported that his eyes continued blinking for approximately 20 seconds after his head was cut from his body.
Sorry I can't remember the scientists name.

Answer 9

Yes! See Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_chair

The guy was later killed. The article has more information than you probably want.

No, a head cannot speak for it has no way to pass air through its throat. There are records of them blinking and moving their mouths.

I suggest you find a new hobby.
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Answer 10

Yes, a prisoner named Willy Francis survived the electric chair in Louisiana. He was thought to be dead, but wasn't. He was later electrocuted until "well done".