The Noose

Hanging has traditionally been a popular method of execution, not just in America, but all over the world. Up intil the 1890's, it was the primary method of execution. Today in America, it is only an option in a few states as an alternative to lethal injection. Despite the best efforts of the law to make execution as quick and painless as possible, there have been several instances where due to a mistake or miscalculation, cause of death is slow asphyxiation, which can take up to 45 minutes, and can cause the eyes to bulge out of the head, the face to swell, the tongue to stick out of the mouth, the body to defecate, and the body to twitch and jerk violently*. Only three prisoners have been executed by this method since the reinstallation of the death penalty**.