3 ms·

Just wondering, why can’t an inert gas be used? We know from high-altitude aircraft accidents (like https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helios_Airways_Flight_522 h

Just wondering, why can’t an inert gas be used? We know from high-altitude aircraft accidents (like https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helios_Airways_Flight_522 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helios_Airways_Flight_522) that lack of oxygen leads to quick and painless loss of consciousness and eventual death. To be clear, I am against the death penalty, but if it’s needed then I much prefer a humane method rather than untested drugs that often backfire.

ryanlol 8y ago
Lethal injections aren't really supposed to be quick and painless.
- jabl 8y ago
  You really think that? If so, why not go back to breaking people on the wheel? Or hanged, drawn and quartered? All done on a public square, with mandatory attendance for adults and children alike, of course? Yup, that would make the world a better place... /s
  - teddyh 8y ago
    You are making an is-ought misinterpretation. The person you replied to (ryanlol) might be against the death penalty, but recognize that the reason it exists is not only to actually kill people, but also to make them suffer. One can recognize this fact without arguing for it.
    - jabl 8y ago
      Of course it's an over-the-top strawman. I just find it shocking that the parent apparently thinks that capital punishment by itself isn't barbaric enough, but on top of that it should be a drawn-out and painful affair. Which frankly is an argument straight out of the dark ages. Ok, fine, the parent didn't explicitly say that is a view (s)he shares.
  - ryanlol 8y ago
    Why on earth would you assume that I think that?
- inetsee 8y ago
  The Eighth Amendment to the Constitution, among other things, prohibits "cruel and unusual punishments".
  - ryanlol 8y ago
    And how are lethal injections, with a failure rate approaching 10% not cruel and unusual? Lethal injections are used because they tend to make for a good show, not because they're anywhere near the easiest or most humane option available.
mjcl 8y ago
A few states are getting ready to try just that: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/07/health/death-penalty-nitrogen-executions.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/07/health/death-penalty-nitr...
drunkenmonkey 8y ago
Lethal injections, and executions, are never necessary.. It is in the best interest of everyone for everyone to abandon the concept en total.
- Rjevski 8y ago
  Totally agree, but until we abolish the death penalty I’d rather have it done humanely.
  - ChoGGi 8y ago
    There's the argument to be made; which would people be more likely to protest and try to end the practice of: Death row inmates falling asleep and not waking up. Death row inmates being drawn and quartered (bit of an extreme example). (for those that don't know "drawn and quartered" involves four plow horses, some rope and an axe or two)
becauseiam 8y ago
BBC's Horizon covered this back in 2008 with an episode titled "How to kill a human being"[1] where the show aimed to find the most humane form of death penalty. When supporters of the death penalty were asked if they would consider using hypoxia they dismissed it, saying words to the effect of "so what if the condemned are in a bit of pain?" [1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008rdyh https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008rdyh
maxxxxx 8y ago
I also thought that Helium and Nitrogen are often used for painless suicide.
- inetsee 8y ago
  I remember reading a number of years ago that there were some websites hosted in Japan that were selling suicide kits. The kits included a plastic hood, a tank of helium and tubing to connect the two. Some other articles at the time suggested that nitrogen would work just as well, and cost less. And, in case anyone is wondering, no I am not suicidal. I became interested in the topic after reading about Air Force pilot training, where the pilots were put into a large decompression chamber, the pressure was reduced to simulate high altitude, and the pilots were required to remove their oxygen masks, so they could learn to recognize the symptoms of hypoxia. I vaguely remember that one of the side-effects of hypoxia is euphoria, which would run counter to some of the comments about there needing to be a component of retribution or punishment to the death penalty.

ryanlol 8y ago

Lethal injections aren't really supposed to be quick and painless.

jabl 8y ago
You really think that? If so, why not go back to breaking people on the wheel? Or hanged, drawn and quartered? All done on a public square, with mandatory attendance for adults and children alike, of course? Yup, that would make the world a better place... /s
- teddyh 8y ago
  You are making an is-ought misinterpretation. The person you replied to (ryanlol) might be against the death penalty, but recognize that the reason it exists is not only to actually kill people, but also to make them suffer. One can recognize this fact without arguing for it.
  - jabl 8y ago
    Of course it's an over-the-top strawman. I just find it shocking that the parent apparently thinks that capital punishment by itself isn't barbaric enough, but on top of that it should be a drawn-out and painful affair. Which frankly is an argument straight out of the dark ages. Ok, fine, the parent didn't explicitly say that is a view (s)he shares.
- ryanlol 8y ago
  Why on earth would you assume that I think that?
inetsee 8y ago
The Eighth Amendment to the Constitution, among other things, prohibits "cruel and unusual punishments".
- ryanlol 8y ago
  And how are lethal injections, with a failure rate approaching 10% not cruel and unusual? Lethal injections are used because they tend to make for a good show, not because they're anywhere near the easiest or most humane option available.

mjcl 8y ago

A few states are getting ready to try just that: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/07/health/death-penalty-nitrogen-executions.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/07/health/death-penalty-nitr...

drunkenmonkey 8y ago

Lethal injections, and executions, are never necessary.. It is in the best interest of everyone for everyone to abandon the concept en total.

Rjevski 8y ago
Totally agree, but until we abolish the death penalty I’d rather have it done humanely.
- ChoGGi 8y ago
  There's the argument to be made; which would people be more likely to protest and try to end the practice of: Death row inmates falling asleep and not waking up. Death row inmates being drawn and quartered (bit of an extreme example). (for those that don't know "drawn and quartered" involves four plow horses, some rope and an axe or two)

becauseiam 8y ago

BBC's Horizon covered this back in 2008 with an episode titled "How to kill a human being"[1] where the show aimed to find the most humane form of death penalty. When supporters of the death penalty were asked if they would consider using hypoxia they dismissed it, saying words to the effect of "so what if the condemned are in a bit of pain?" [1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008rdyh https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008rdyh

maxxxxx 8y ago

I also thought that Helium and Nitrogen are often used for painless suicide.

inetsee 8y ago
I remember reading a number of years ago that there were some websites hosted in Japan that were selling suicide kits. The kits included a plastic hood, a tank of helium and tubing to connect the two. Some other articles at the time suggested that nitrogen would work just as well, and cost less. And, in case anyone is wondering, no I am not suicidal. I became interested in the topic after reading about Air Force pilot training, where the pilots were put into a large decompression chamber, the pressure was reduced to simulate high altitude, and the pilots were required to remove their oxygen masks, so they could learn to recognize the symptoms of hypoxia. I vaguely remember that one of the side-effects of hypoxia is euphoria, which would run counter to some of the comments about there needing to be a component of retribution or punishment to the death penalty.