Putting Capital Punishment to Death

Hanging, the firing squad, the gas chamber, the electric chair, lethal injection; these are some present methods of the death penalty. Capital punishment has been used in America for a long time, and has always presented conflicts. There are many groups that protest capital punishment, and there are many groups that are for it. The controversies it presents have to do with the cost, if it is humane, or if it is moral. With all of these problems taken into consideration, it is clear to anyone that capital punishment is the wrong choice.

The early forms of the death penalty were not only much less humane than they are now, but much more cruel and unusual. Hanging, one of the earliest forms, is actually still used in 3 states as one form of capital punishment. The inmate would not get blindfolded, unlike most methods, then they would stand on a stool or box. A noose would then be wrapped, and tightened, around their neck. The box or stool is then kicked out from under the inmate, and onlookers watch in anticipation while the inmate suffocates to death. In some cases, the inmate’s neck would break, instantly killing him. (Baird 22)

Other early forms of capital punishment were the guillotine and the firing squad. Both of these methods used blindfolds. For the guillotine, the inmate would lay down on their back under a huge blade hanging above their neck. The executioner would then cut a rope, releasing the blade that then slices through the inmate’s neck, decapitating him. For the firing squad, and inmate would be led to a chair in front of a brick wall. A trained firing squad then lines up in front of the inmate.

The firing squad then fires their guns at a target on the inmate’s chest. To relieve the guilt of the squad, some of their guns were loaded with blanks, so no one could know if they were the ones who killed the man. The guillotine is not used anymore, but the firing squad is still used in a few states.

Anyone can see why these methods are not used as much anymore. (Baird 21)

Now to the real controversies. Most people do not realize these inhumane methods of capital punishment are still being used, but the more controversial ones are the methods everyone knows about. One of the older current methods is he electric chair. The electric chair is not the most controversial, even though it is the least humane of the widely used practices.