So he went through eight minutes at least of pain and panic? Sure sounds like cruel and unusual punishment to me. Although the idea that Alabama killed a man using a method considered too brutal to kill animals with does seem fitting.
No. With the notable exception of rodents, animals generally can't detect oxygen deficiency directly (though they may get loopy).
Nitrogen asphyxiation basically makes you loopy, then unconscious, then dead. It's experientially equivalent to exposure to normal air at extremely high altitudes. Military pilots are often exposed to this (in a controlled manner) precisely because it's so hard to recognize, and doesn't induce fear. Like, epic levels of hard to recognize, as in "Hey Bob, it's time to put your mask back on to keep you from dying!" Bob: snickers and clearly thinks this is a great joke, until the person straps his mask back on, and he realizes how serious the situation is
You can make a trough for a (non-starved) pig that constantly releases nitrogen gas (which it breathes as it's eating). The pig puts his head in the trough to eat, then passes out from lack of oxygen (this pulling it's snout out of the trough), then is like "what was I doing? Oh look, food.." ..and goes right back to it, passing out again.
This is completely different from the reaction to carbon dioxide asphyxiation, which the body has sensors for, and induces all kinds of panic. Try the same trough experiment with a pig using carbon dioxide, and it will stay the fuck away from the evil trough of death.
You can watch Destin from Smarter Every Day almost die on camera* due to hypoxia.
I'll go looking for the link.
Obviously watch the whole video but start at 5:27 (ends around 7:30) for the moment. Watching this freaks me the fuck out every time.
YT Link
*He was in a safe environment
Also so many instances of cave divers going loopy then dead in a matter of minutes. It's astounding that it's so easy to accidentally die from nitrogen but we just can't seem to get the hang of not torturing people to death.
Holy shit. I assumed we would have minutes not seconds if a plane depressurized. I understand what that would freak you the fuck out.
That's not what gets me, its watching him degrade and then not have the presence of mind to simply reenable his oxygen.
That triggers me super hard for some reason
Multiple reports from observers of this execution method: it’s horrible, they thrash around on the gurney and seem to suffer greatly
This guy: nuh uh.
Nitrogen asphyxiation may not be unpleasant, but being executed certainly causes duress.
If the method of execution takes 8 minutes, and makes you "loopy" during that time, while contemplating your impending death, then that's cruel in my opinion.
In my opinion, if you're going to execute someone then brevity and certainty must surely be required to make it humane.
Imagine them hanging you upside down trying to find a vein for legal injection and being unable to do so for 2 hours. A firing squad would be better in many ways.
They enjoy murdering people.
There's lots of people arguing that you require a cooperative person. But you could just put the person to sleep with an injection first, then strap them to the gurney, then slide them into a tank and just pump stuff in and stuff out. I think it's the cruelty that keeps it cruel. Those people in charge are as heartless as the cop waiting by the 20mph sign next to the school that happens to have been placed next to the freeway entrance.17mph, you're good, 21mph... are you white? If not you're getting a ticket. It's best done right in front of your own kids. Cruelty is what it is all about.
The problem with that is, no anesthesiologist will work on an execution (something about "do no harm"), and properly sedating someone without one is more difficult than it appears to be.
Probably not that hard if you don’t care if the patient survives.
¯\(ツ)/¯
If we’re going to kill people, which we shouldn’t, why not be humane about it and use a firing squad?
There is no humane way, they all fuck up. Most people who actually support the death penalty want recipients to suffer.
Agreed, but firing squad seems to be the closest to humane.
The executed died quickly, and the executors don’t know for certain that they had a bullet.
I think they found extreme PTSD in the executioners that used that method.
You don't know if you killed them or not, a lot of times. That will gnaw at people who aren't okay with killing, especially in such a cold and sterile way.
Plus, it isn't always quick.
I would say guillotine would be closest. Even an entire squad shooting at you could potentially miss your heart.
Because that disturbs the comfort of a complacent society. Nothing about the US judicial and prison system is humane.
meanwhile Japan having hanging as their only method for death penalty
"Pro life"....
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