LAB REPORT 1   [ methods of execution- F ]

                                                                                       Final Disposition Laboratory 

Gentlemen;
    Following the directions I was given I have established a lab for the purpose of exploring new and different methods of executing the large numbers of female felons clogging the system. We are in the process of evaluating several that show promise and have so far identified one that we feel will be useful both as a humane or semi humane method and as a deterrent show. We refer to it as pop and or twist top depending on how it is applied. Let me explain.
    The felon is led in and secured to a post that has a flat board on one side. The flat side is equipped with a harness similar to a parachute or backpack harness. Wide straps go over the shoulders and cross the chest to be secured under the arms. A third strap is placed around the waist just above the hipbones and the wrists are cuffed to it also. The legs are free. The post is cut to end at the shoulder level except for a fork mounted on the back that may be folded down. 
    When the felon is secured a metal and nylon harness is secured to the head. There are straps and frames that pass under the back of the skull and the jaw and the whole device is designed to allow the head to be lifted straight up away from the body. There is a large ring placed at the top of the head in line with the spine to allow easy attachment of a lifting means. We used a very slow but powerful winch but a screw or lever may work as well. Our winch moved about ½ inch per minute but I would suggest for deterrent an even slower one might be indicated and a faster one where the suffering of the victim is less important. A wooden yoke then is fastened to the sides of the harness. It extends two feet out in front and behind her head and fits into the fork at the back of the post. This prevents the head from twisting as it is pulled and is also for use is the twist top method is desired but more on that later.
    Let me describe a typical execution using this method. The nude girl is brought in and secured to the post and the head harness in placed on her and tightened. The lifting ring is placed on the hoist hook and when  all is ready the death warrant is read to the condemned. She is offered a chance for any last words but the harness makes speech difficult. The order is given and the winch slowly takes up the slack. Before too long her head begins to lift and her body follows. The body straps tighten and her body stops but the head continues to move. She realizes what is in store for her and that panic shows in her eyes. She cannot scream, indeed breathing is difficult but there is no way she can open her mouth or turn her head. Her nails quickly draw blood as her hands ball into fists in response to the pain. Her legs kick and scrabble much like in a slow hanging. Then pops and snaps are heard from the neck. These continue as the neck stretches. On average we found about one inch to be the expected stretch before a louder pop accompanies the final failure of the c-spine. By the time of the separation the victim is in agony. At the separation and the accompanying failure of the spinal cord the hands relax and the legs go limp. The realization of what has happened can be seen in the eyes. The last breath is slowly exhaled as the lungs cease function with the severing of the spine. The eyes continue to show both the panic and the knowledge that death is very near. There are a few spastic movements of the body and some last efforts to breathe but they are limited and useless. It typically takes one to three minutes for the last of the stored oxygen in the body to be used up and for the eyes to roll back as the brain begins to die. By ten minutes the heartbeat is failing as the death process follows the typical one for hanging or garroting. 
    The twist top has two variations, one used in conjunction with the pop top and the other as a standalone method. When used with the pop top the restraining fork is dropped at the final failure of the neck and using the handles provided the head is quickly and forcibly turned one hundred eighty degrees and the fork lifted to hold it in place. When used alone the only difference is the fork is not used until after the head is rotated. Both cause an almost instant cutoff of blood to the brain due to the twisting and tearing of the large blood vessels in the neck. Death is almost instantaneous even though the heart continues to beat for ten or fifteen minutes. With experience we added more rotation to the standard because we realized that a half turn did not always cause enough damage to the neck structures to guarantee a almost total loss of blood to the brain or to ensure a cut off of all  breathing so we went to a 270 degree twist as minimum where instant death is wished. Of course the 180 degree twist is useable for deterrent executions.  
    Perhaps a few words about the standards we use to judge the various methods of execution. We rate each on several factors- cost, complexity, and ease of use of any required equipment, time to death which is judged as the point from which there is no hope of life even with medical intervention but only after loss of consciousness, cycle time or how long it takes to process one victim from the time she arrives at the actual place of execution i.e. at the foot of the gallows or the door of the chamber until such time as she is dead and loaded onto the body cart with  any needed cleanup time added in, the amount of pain involved which is often subjective but can be fairly accurately judged by experienced personal, and the effect the execution will have on any watching citizens. 
     Post mortem examination of each method reveals that the pop top results in fractures of the c-spine between the base of the skull and as low as c-4 vertebra with the severing of the cord usually occurring just below the skull. There is a difference is results with different speeds of lifting. Slow lifts [ below six inches per minute ] generally produce fractures at a lower level while very fast ones [ over seven feet per second ]almost always causes the separation to occur between the skull and c-1 and in most cases  the separation of the spinal cord  takes place at the location or even enough higher to involve a tearing of the brain stem which causes almost instant loss of consciousness and death. This is almost identical to the results expected from a long drop hanging except for the lack of bruising on the brain from the impact of the knot. 
    The twist top method has very similar results as a hanging as far as the spinal damage is concerned. The failure always occurs at the base of the skull and there is severe displacement of the spine with relation to the skull. The tearing of the brain stem is common. We also found the previously mentioned damage to the other structures on the neck. All the blood vessels are severely damaged with severing at the point of entry into the skull often seen. The larynx is destroyed and torn from the associated structures. There are large amounts of free blood found in both the neck and skull from the bleeding as the vessels are destroyed. 
     We feel that both methods should be considered as a useful addition to our range of options. However we doubt there will be much need to use both in tandem. The twist adds little to the pop except for possibly deterrent effect and that is probably minimal. Our findings and recommendations are as follows.
    The pop top may be used for the entire range of executions due to the options allowed by the variations in speed. Very slow is quite painful and should have a strong deterrent effect while high speed is felt to be a humane method. The cycle time will vary from  twenty minutes to a half an hour and is controlled mostly by the amount of time needed for the heart rhythm to deteriorate to ventricular fibrillation and is very similar to times for hanging. 
    The twist top does not allow for the same level or duration of pain as does the slow pop top but it is felt there is some real value as a deterrent method. It can be a very humane method even as  a deterrent and with some modification of equipment it should be possible to reduce cycle times to the five or ten minute range as the 270 or 360 degree twists produce instantly deadly injuries that will allow the rapid removal of the corpse. 
     On a different but related subject we would like to make a recommendation as to a new method of reducing both preparation and cleanup times. While we have developed several methods of eliminating the messes involved with the loss of control of bodily functions during an execution none are really easy or quick. We have found a better way. We use aerosol sealing foam. While there are several types available we have found the best is the low expansion type. The victim is directed to use the bathroom and then the supplied tube is inserted into the urethra and the anus and the passages are filled with the foam. Experience has taught that the quickest possible shot is sufficient for the urethra and about five seconds will block the anal opening. Careful questioning has reveled that this method not only reliably seals both from any leakage but there is minimal discomfort. The most common feelings reported was a fullness similar to needing to go to the bathroom. We encouraged several victims to attempt to do so and none were able to even after only a few minutes following the insertion on the foam. One caution however and it is a minor one. This material should not be used on anyone that has any possibility of not being executed as it will cause death all by itself over a period of days without some kind of surgery to remove it. We did allow one woman to endure such a death and we feel there may be reason to further investigate it as a possible execution method where such a death might be wished. 
    We are very satisfied with the function of the lab and feel we will continue to produce worthwhile results. I have only the highest praise for my fellow researchers and for the support we have received from the South Women’s Processing Facility. We are presently working on high volume methods and have several we feel are promising and expect to have a report  shortly.
                                                                                           Respectfully  Yours, 

                                                                                         John Hightower, Director