Why was execution by electric chair replaced by hanging and thought to be more humane?

Question

Dr Alfered Southwick a dentest developed an idea of an electric chair and Harnold Brown who worked for Thomes Edeson also invented the electic chair.In 1986 or dont remember exactily the details.New York state developed an idea that sufication by hanging is cruel and un usual punishment and a mew method like the electic chair would be more humane.I think the long drop which causes a broken neck is more humame than electricution.Could some one exlain how execution is more humane

Answer 1

Your question is worded a bit backward; the chair replaced hanging, not vice versa.

However, the reason the electric chair was thought to be more humane was that it was (supposedly) faster. Hanged people rarely die quickly; quite often they suffocate or take minutes to die, even when the neck is broken. This is why, historically, family members would attend the execution to pull on a hanged person's feet and try to hasten the victim's death.

In the 1960's, people started debating whether electrocution was really that humane. There are many stories of prisoners who weren't killed by the first jolt of electricity and required multiple shocks, were literally burned or tortured to death by a long process of adding more juice. This eventually led to the development of the gas chamber, which is no longer used, and lethal injection, which is now being debated as well.

Incidentally, even after the invention of the electric chair, gas chamber, and lethal injection, older methods of execution persisted in the U.S. When Gary Gilmore was executed in Utah in the late 1970's (read "The Executioner's Song" by Normal Mailer) a firing squad was used. I believe Alaska still used hanging as late as the 1970's as well.

Answer 2

Hanging does not always break the neck. Sometimes the person would hang there for a long time, choking and fighting. Electrocution is more consistent. And steps were taken to ensure the brain was fried quickly, preventing long suffering as much as possible.

Personally I think executions should be a painful as possible. You're executing someone for a terrible crime, there's no reason I can think of to be humane to that person. And who knows, it migh just deter a thug or two.

Answer 3

Neither styles are humane at all! The Electric chair is torturous and cruel and hanging is just as bad, if the criminals neck doesn't snap when he falls then he has to hang there until he suffocates to death. That's horrible! The Electric is more humane personally, I agree with you, hanging is an inhumane way to execute someone.

Answer 4

Well, I don't think any execution is humane, but definitely not the electric chair. Most inmates had to be shocked more than once before they died. That's cruel!

Answer 5

sometimes when people were hanged, the rope was too short and they would strangle to death, other times the rope was too long and they would be decapititated, elctrocution was thought more humane after a hood was put on

Answer 6

I think we should all rule out corporal punishment, period. We humanely kill animals to eat them, why should we in-humanely kill people, even if they do wrong? Maybe you could research that and start a revolution!

Answer 7

Because it's a quicker death. (when done correctly)