hanging can decapitate?

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dances_with_barkadas@yahoo.com - 16 Jan 2007 09:45 GMT

Saddam's brother was hanged; it cut off his head.

How much force does that take, actually? It's not easy to imagine a
drop of a few feet being enough

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Phil Anthropist - 16 Jan 2007 13:53 GMT

> Saddam's brother was hanged; it cut off his head.
>
> How much force does that take, actually? It's not easy to imagine a
> drop of a few feet being enough

Hanging can result in decapitation if the rope is too long, and
strangulation if the rope is too short. The rope length is calculated using
the condemned person's height and body weight. If the rope is the correct
length this should fracture the cervical vertebrae and sever the spinal
cord, which should cause immediate death.

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Robert A. Fink, M. D. - 17 Jan 2007 23:32 GMT

>Hanging can result in decapitation if the rope is too long, and
>strangulation if the rope is too short. The rope length is calculated using
>the condemned person's height and body weight. If the rope is the correct
>length this should fracture the cervical vertebrae and sever the spinal
>cord, which should cause immediate death.

Also, the placement of the knot of the noose is important, this as
determined back in the 19th century by Dr. Pierrepoint, the Royal
Hangman of England. In order to assure the proper fracture of the
neck, the knot should be placed under the chin of the condemned. A
massive hyperextension will then occur at the time of the drop, and
this will fracture the neck appropriately.

Best,

Bob

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