Hanging

The physiological outcome of hanging depends on the drop distance and the position of the knot. In a short drop, death results from compression of the carotid arteries and jugular veins, leading to cerebral hypoxia and unconsciousness within seconds, followed by cardiac arrest. In a long drop, the force of the fall fractures the second and third cervical vertebrae (the "hangman's fracture"), transecting the spinal cord and causing immediate paralysis and death. However, if the drop is too long, the head may be decapitated; if too short, the victim may strangle slowly. Medical studies have shown that even in judicial hangings, unconsciousness is not always instantaneous, and some victims may experience asphyxia for several minutes.¹

Hanging has been used since antiquity; the ancient Persians, Greeks, and Romans employed it, and it became the standard method of execution in medieval Europe for common criminals. In Britain, the "short drop" was used until the 19th century, often causing prolonged strangulation. In 1872, William Marwood introduced the "long drop" method, calculating drop length based on the prisoner's weight to ensure a rapid cervical fracture. This technique was later refined by executioners such as James Berry and Albert Pierrepoint. In the United States, hanging was the primary method until the introduction of the electric chair in the 1890s, but it remained legal in some states until the 20th century. The last public hanging in Britain occurred in 1868, after which executions were carried out in private.²

As of 2024, hanging is still used in Iran, Japan, Singapore, Afghanistan, and possibly North Korea. In Japan, executions are carried out in secret, and the condemned are not informed until the morning of the execution. In Iran, hangings are often performed in public, sometimes using cranes or scaffolding. The method has been criticized by human rights organizations for causing unnecessary suffering, especially when botched. Medical professionals have debated whether hanging is humane; some argue that the long drop is quick and painless, while others point to cases of prolonged consciousness. In the United States, hanging was declared unconstitutional in some states, but it remains a backup method in New Hampshire and Washington (though both have since abolished it). The trend toward abolition has been driven by human rights concerns and the development of alternative methods.

Beyond judicial execution, hanging has been used in lynching, particularly in the American South, where it was a tool of racial terror. In some cultures, hanging was considered a dishonorable death, and the bodies of executed criminals were often left to rot as a deterrent. The "gibbet" was a cage used to display hanged bodies. In the 20th century, Nazi Germany used hanging for political prisoners, and the Nuremberg trials sentenced several Nazi leaders to death by hanging. In the United Kingdom, the last execution by hanging was in 1964, and the method was abolished in 1969. A notable edge case is the "drop" calculation: if the drop is too short, the victim may survive, leading to a second attempt. In 1946, a botched hanging in the U.S. resulted in the victim taking 14 minutes to die. The term "lynching" is derived from a Virginia judge, Charles Lynch, who used extrajudicial hanging during the American Revolution.

Long drop

A hanging method designed to fracture the cervical spine, causing rapid death.

Short drop

A hanging method where the victim is suspended without a significant fall, leading to strangulation.

Hangman's fracture

A fracture of the second cervical vertebra, often caused by judicial hanging.