I don’t even think that’s the ultimate argument. Executions are final. There is nothing you can do when you find out someone wasn’t guilty after all. And that happens way too often.
Don’t forget what I think is the most important reason for elaborate “humane” execution methods. Those ordering or tasked with the executions don’t want to think of themselves as the “bad guys”.
Historically what that means has varied strongly. But in our societies we have very little official appetite for being bad or cruel in a physical manner.
And then it’s a matter of required competency. It seems to require real skill to decapitate a person with a sword cleanly. Hanging cleanly is much less simple than it seems. Killing is fairly simple. Killing in a socially acceptable manner much less so.
(Were this the case in the minds of these law&order judges, all would be struck down by 8th amendment. They are not, so at least one class of informed folk generally disagree.)
The execution is supposed to be the ultimate form of punishment, it’s meant to suck.
No. It’s not. The punishment is ending the life. What you are describing is legally cruel and unusual.
Execution is cruel and unusual so checks out.
I don’t even think that’s the ultimate argument. Executions are final. There is nothing you can do when you find out someone wasn’t guilty after all. And that happens way too often.
Don’t forget what I think is the most important reason for elaborate “humane” execution methods. Those ordering or tasked with the executions don’t want to think of themselves as the “bad guys”. Historically what that means has varied strongly. But in our societies we have very little official appetite for being bad or cruel in a physical manner.
And then it’s a matter of required competency. It seems to require real skill to decapitate a person with a sword cleanly. Hanging cleanly is much less simple than it seems. Killing is fairly simple. Killing in a socially acceptable manner much less so.
(Were this the case in the minds of these law&order judges, all would be struck down by 8th amendment. They are not, so at least one class of informed folk generally disagree.)