Seems like as good a place as any to ask…there doesn’t seem to be any great way to kill a person. I used to think asphyxiation by nitrogen was the ideal for a dignified and gentle death, but I guess that has issues. So has anyone anywhere developed a method that isn’t so terrible or unreliable?
What about something super instant and imperceptible…like being given general anesthetic and having the head (or entire body) placed into some kind of superfast pneumatic crushing machine that works in a fraction of an second and has a self-cleaning feature? Guaranteed death that no one has to see or clean up and isn’t felt by the executed person?
That being said, I’m opposed to the death sentence. Not because I don’t think there are crimes for which a person deserves to die, but because of the potential for a false accusation.
It’s actually super easy to kill someone if you’re not a pussy about it. Humans do it every day. But it will never be “clean” or “painless” and it’s a fantasy to think there could be a way to kill someone that is entirely free of guilt.
The problem with the death penalty is that the accuser calls for the death penalty (on paper) and a judge sentences the accused to death (on paper) and then they don’t do it right away, but put them in a hole for 40 years. Decades later, some pencil pushers process the stack of papers and have to go get a wretch out of the hole to kill them. At that point no one has the motivation to actually do it, so they try to think of ways to honor the stack of papers without actually feeling like they murdered a defenseless old hole dweller who hasn’t done any harm for 40 years.
I also think the death penalty is stupid. If you kill them right away, they don’t have the chance to change. If you kill them later, they have already changed too much to justify actually killing them. Just make them work the mines for a couple years and reconsider once everyone has calmed down.
The problem you’re going to have is that there simply is no good way to kill someone that does not want to die.
It does not matter how painless it is. It doesn’t even matter if it feels good. they will resist, just as soon as they realize what’s happening.
Something like the sarco pods rely on the willingness and desire of the people using them. (Or at least, for the intended purpose). If you tried to use them for executions, the victim would resist the moment they saw it.
If you try it sedate them, they’ll resist the sedation. If you try to slip something in the food, they’ll stop eating, etc.
The problem isn’t the method. The problem is it’s inhumane on its own.
I’m of the opinion we shouldn’t, simply because we’re giving him exactly what he wants and I’m pretty sure he’s in a living hell right now. But that does beg the question - is letting someone live as a paraplegic when they want to die morally sound? Even if they want to be a martyr?
In the US, doctors are prohibited from participating in executions. I’m sure that doesn’t help people make informed decisions when coming up with ways the state can kill people.
It’s one of the reasons lethal injection executions get botched. The people doing them rarely have any medical training, sometimes they can’t even find a vein properly.
What kind of issues does nitrogen asphyxiation have? From what I know you’ll lose consciousness rather easily, and from there it’s a quiet road to death?
It’s readily available (it’s 71% of our air)
Not hazardous (the body doesn’t have to be treated as toxic waste compared to drug injections)
It has nearly no margin of error compared to injection or electric chair (the victim can’t “almost” die)
No doctor/engineer experience needed for operation
Hmm… Reading this I feel like there is no way to determine that this was indeed caused by the hypoxia through inert gas and not CO2 inhalation, or not by the person realizing they’re about to lose consciousness/die. It’s not like there are no cases of panic and violence as they administer injections either.
In the papers you linked, there was a mention of the CO2 fallacy, referring to “numerous studies”, though I struggle to retrieve the papers that it referenced to (mostly Bailey and Poole).
There’s a reason why we add smell to natural gasses we use for cooking: They’re deadly if they leak, and you don’t notice it, because the gas is inert, i.e. your body doesn’t react to it.
There’s also something called a Suicide Bag, and I don’t see anything about it causing terror, hence I understand it as a popular (and accessible) choice for a clean suicide.
However, after a little bit of digging, I do see that the amount of research on nitrogen hypoxia as an execution/euthenasia method is quite scarce, and I admit it may not be as peaceful as I had hoped. However, what prevents them from combining the two? Some drug to knock you unconscious, and then use nitrogen to finish you off?
However, what prevents them from combining the two? Some drug to knock you unconscious, and then use nitrogen to finish you off?
Yeah, seems like a sensible approach. I’ve heard about hypoxia chamber trials for pilots and honestly that doesn’t sound like a bad way to go, either. Same with carbon monoxide.
N2 is still my preferred way to go if I gotta go. Either that, or go the complete opposite direction on a novelty-seeking thrillfest by opting for absolute maximum pain possible just to see what it’s like. When it’s all done, it’s not like I’ll care anyway and maybe the final curtain drop will present the ultimate relief.
Seems like as good a place as any to ask…there doesn’t seem to be any great way to kill a person. I used to think asphyxiation by nitrogen was the ideal for a dignified and gentle death, but I guess that has issues. So has anyone anywhere developed a method that isn’t so terrible or unreliable?
What about something super instant and imperceptible…like being given general anesthetic and having the head (or entire body) placed into some kind of superfast pneumatic crushing machine that works in a fraction of an second and has a self-cleaning feature? Guaranteed death that no one has to see or clean up and isn’t felt by the executed person?
That being said, I’m opposed to the death sentence. Not because I don’t think there are crimes for which a person deserves to die, but because of the potential for a false accusation.
Our species is so heinous.
It’s actually super easy to kill someone if you’re not a pussy about it. Humans do it every day. But it will never be “clean” or “painless” and it’s a fantasy to think there could be a way to kill someone that is entirely free of guilt.
The problem with the death penalty is that the accuser calls for the death penalty (on paper) and a judge sentences the accused to death (on paper) and then they don’t do it right away, but put them in a hole for 40 years. Decades later, some pencil pushers process the stack of papers and have to go get a wretch out of the hole to kill them. At that point no one has the motivation to actually do it, so they try to think of ways to honor the stack of papers without actually feeling like they murdered a defenseless old hole dweller who hasn’t done any harm for 40 years.
I also think the death penalty is stupid. If you kill them right away, they don’t have the chance to change. If you kill them later, they have already changed too much to justify actually killing them. Just make them work the mines for a couple years and reconsider once everyone has calmed down.
A gram of fentanyl intravenously will kill you dead real quick. Or even just swallowed. Maybe even just looked at sideways
But my vote is for stampeded by gerbils.
There are drugs that can but most drug companies don’t want their product to be associated with death.
Death row: The secret hunt for lethal drugs used in US executions
The problem you’re going to have is that there simply is no good way to kill someone that does not want to die.
It does not matter how painless it is. It doesn’t even matter if it feels good. they will resist, just as soon as they realize what’s happening.
Something like the sarco pods rely on the willingness and desire of the people using them. (Or at least, for the intended purpose). If you tried to use them for executions, the victim would resist the moment they saw it.
If you try it sedate them, they’ll resist the sedation. If you try to slip something in the food, they’ll stop eating, etc.
The problem isn’t the method. The problem is it’s inhumane on its own.
This guy openly admitted that he wished he died in the attack because it meant God had chosen him for martyrdom.
Not sure why everyone seems to think this guy is a good guy.
“The guy is nit a good guy!” Is not a justification to kill him.
He is in prison. He will never be released. His ability to commit further terrorist acts are effectively eliminated.
There is no moral, ethical, or pragmatic reason to kill him. It is unjustified, and in my belief, murder.
There are entire tomes of reasons of why making a spectical of his murder isn’t just wrong, but fucking stupid.
Not least because it will be celebrated by other terrorists.
not to mention, it puts you in league with these assholes. (Trigger warning, picture of an execution)
Nobody thinks he’s a good guy, but unless you have something wrong with you killing someone is hard, especially if they are defenseless.
I’m of the opinion we shouldn’t, simply because we’re giving him exactly what he wants and I’m pretty sure he’s in a living hell right now. But that does beg the question - is letting someone live as a paraplegic when they want to die morally sound? Even if they want to be a martyr?
Youre just describing a fancy guillotine
Yeah, guillotine was the inspiration, but it has baggage in the form of post-drop lingering consciousness for a few moments.
In the US, doctors are prohibited from participating in executions. I’m sure that doesn’t help people make informed decisions when coming up with ways the state can kill people.
It’s one of the reasons lethal injection executions get botched. The people doing them rarely have any medical training, sometimes they can’t even find a vein properly.
What kind of issues does nitrogen asphyxiation have? From what I know you’ll lose consciousness rather easily, and from there it’s a quiet road to death?
What am I missing?
https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25A1381/413139/20260611160350393_25A1381 Brief of Amicus American Thoracic Society.pdf
Link found from https://www.npr.org/2026/06/11/nx-s1-5855742/supreme-court-alabama-execution
Apparently it’s inhumane.
Hmm… Reading this I feel like there is no way to determine that this was indeed caused by the hypoxia through inert gas and not CO2 inhalation, or not by the person realizing they’re about to lose consciousness/die. It’s not like there are no cases of panic and violence as they administer injections either.
In the papers you linked, there was a mention of the CO2 fallacy, referring to “numerous studies”, though I struggle to retrieve the papers that it referenced to (mostly Bailey and Poole).
There’s a reason why we add smell to natural gasses we use for cooking: They’re deadly if they leak, and you don’t notice it, because the gas is inert, i.e. your body doesn’t react to it.
There’s also something called a Suicide Bag, and I don’t see anything about it causing terror, hence I understand it as a popular (and accessible) choice for a clean suicide.
However, after a little bit of digging, I do see that the amount of research on nitrogen hypoxia as an execution/euthenasia method is quite scarce, and I admit it may not be as peaceful as I had hoped. However, what prevents them from combining the two? Some drug to knock you unconscious, and then use nitrogen to finish you off?
Yeah, seems like a sensible approach. I’ve heard about hypoxia chamber trials for pilots and honestly that doesn’t sound like a bad way to go, either. Same with carbon monoxide.
N2 is still my preferred way to go if I gotta go. Either that, or go the complete opposite direction on a novelty-seeking thrillfest by opting for absolute maximum pain possible just to see what it’s like. When it’s all done, it’s not like I’ll care anyway and maybe the final curtain drop will present the ultimate relief.
What a delightfully morbid discourse :)
Heroin
Associating opioids with death? that might affect Purdue’s bottom line!
And vodka, dont forget the vodka.