Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 6, 2006 18:32:13 GMT -5
A Hangman's Story
"You're sentenced to death by hanging!" The verdict is terrifying enough
for the condemned. But has anyone ever thought how the hangman feels in
carrying out the execution?
For Samuel (not his real name), who has taken part in the execution of 103
death-row inmates, both men and women, it's all in a day's work.
He was with the execution team in some of the high-profile cases at the
Pudu, Kajang and Taiping prisons since enlisted for the "special task" 20
years ago.
His last task involved the hanging of a Nigerian, about 3 years ago, for a
drug offence.
"It's not easy to end someone's life," said this 48-year old prisons
deputy superintendent who has served the department for almost 30 years.
For Samuel, serving the Prisons Department is an honour, more so his
father and grandfather had also served the department.
During a 2-hour exclusive interview with Bernama at the Kajang Prison
recently, Samuel spoke of his special task and the executions he had
carried out.
HANGMAN'S CHARACTER TRAITS
To Samuel, the special task is like any other job, but certainly not a
"glamorous" one.
"I always go for challenging tasks and in prison you have two -- the
whipman's and the hangman's. If you have performed these 2, it means
you've achieved the very top like you've done your PhD if you're
studying," he said.
He talked of certain character traits that enabled him to perform the
hangman's task.
One, he said, he was never a cry-baby even when he was a little boy and
the other, he could overcome grieve very fast.
As he put it, "you cannot be soft-hearted to perform this task and at the
same time you cannot boast of what you are doing."
METICULOUS SELECTION
Many prison officers are keen to do this special task but the selection
process is meticulous.
Those who apply have only one chance. If they fail, there is no 2nd
chance.
According to Samuel, out of 30 applicants, perhaps 3 or 4 candidates would
make it and sometimes there was none.
"Prior to an interview, our job record would be scrutinised and our
financial standing is also important. To do this job, we must always have
a clear mind. Keeping secrets is crucial too, as the executioner will know
about the task one week in advance."
Samuel said his mentors scrutinised him before he was finally enlisted for
death-chamber duties.
"The hanging is not done daily. Maybe one or three in a year. That's the
time we will go to the death chamber. There's no special class, but a lot
of practical, on-the-job training," he added.
THE EARLY YEARS
Samuel, who carried out his first execution in Pulau Jerejak, Penang where
he also whipped convicts, said "job perfection" could not be achieved
overnight.
In the early years, he was made to observe how the executions were carried
out.
"I was an observer with the hanging team from 1986 and only made an
assistant in 1989," he said.
As an assistant, he would meet the condemned and bring him or her out from
the waiting cell just beside the death chamber.
He confessed in the early days he often had trouble sleeping because of
his work.
"It is normal to feel that somebody is waking you up from your sleep,
sometimes asking for a cigarette or seeking permission to go home. It's
the same when you step into the death chamber, where you get a strange
feeling like something is passing by.
"After 10 years and with more guts, I told myself dead that 'dead man
tells no tales'. When a man died, how could he return and disturb me?"
said Samuel in jest.
Mental and physical strength are important for those carrying out
executions as they wil be facing constant stress.
As for Samuel, he kept himself fit by cycling.
THE FIRST STEP TO EXECUTION
At the Kajang Prison, death-row inmates are incarcerated at the Abadi
Block until the execution is carried out.
They spend close to 23 hours in their own cell unless they are permitted
to leave the cell by the officer in charge.
Death-row convicts spend years behind bars until they have exhausted all
legal avenues that involve the Court of Appeal, Federal Court and the
State Pardon Board.
When the appeal to the State Pardon Board is rejected, the Federal Court
will issue a warrant for execution.
The warrant contains some personal details of the convict and the time of
execution, which is between 5.30am and 6.30am.
"We're given one hour to carry out the execution. For Muslim convicts, it
is normally done on a Friday, after the subuh (dawn) prayers. As for
non-Muslim convicts, the time is about the same, but the day can differ,"
said Samuel.
After the warrant is issued, the convict is taken to the prison director's
office where the hanging order is read out to him.
Here, the execution team will observe the convict's character and his
acceptance level as all these information are vital in carrying out the
execution.
FATE SEALED
"Normally, the death-row convict will know his fate when he's handcuffed
and taken out of his cell with full escort," said Samuel.
While the convict is taken to see the prison director, his family members
arrive at the prison for a tearful last meeting.
The convict is given a choice for his last meal at RM7.50.
While the convict meets with his family for the last time, the execution
team including "any new candidate for the special task" will head to the
death chamber.
They will spend three to four hours to get the death chamber ready and
also to choose the most appropriate hangman's noose.
THE HANGMAN'S NOOSE
The imported hangman's noose is made of the finest jute, wrapped with soft
leather. Each costs between RM4,000 and RM5,000.
The noose, when received from the agent, will be tested by hanging a dummy
weighing about 90.7 kg for 72 hours.
Each noose has a serial number and is classified as a weapon and therefore
kept in a safe.
"Each noose has its own load capacity but we make our own calculations as
well and follow the manual. There are 4 types of noose to choose from
according to the weight of the convict," Samuel explained.
One important feature of the noose is the 'killer brass' that will break
the condemned person's neck.
"I will ask all the team members what they think of the condemned. Only
then we choose the noose," Samuel said.
THE EXECUTION DAY
According to him, most death-row convicts accepted their fate with an open
heart, probably because they had been confined for a considerably long
period.
"Those who prayed a lot, regardless of religion, would remain calm while
waiting for the execution. Only a few became aggressive during the last
moments.
"Some convicts even told us that they were better off than us because they
knew when they were going to die. They even thanked us when we took them
out to the gallows as they couldn't bear to wait anymore," he recalled.
Most of the time, he said, the convicts would be asking for pen and paper
to write their farewell notes.
"Don't be like me" were among the words Samuel remembered written by a
convict before he was executed.
The convicts could also choose the clothes they wanted to wear on their
last day, he said.
"Some Muslim convicts wanted to die in their T-shirt and prayer pants.
There were others who chose coats and ties. One even wore a RM300 pair of
shoes. 'Why not die in style,' a convict told me in jest."
The hanging will only be carried out when all parties, including the
prison director and doctor, are satisfied with the convict's health on the
appointed day.
The convict is handcuffed from behind and the head covered with a hood.
The executioners will lead the convict from behind.
"In most cases, the convict's body became stiff, often quivering and we
had to use a lot of energy to walk him to the death chamber," Samuel said.
WHEN THE TRAP DOOR OPENS
The trap door on the death chamber floor, on which the convict stands,
opens when the lever, called the gear by the executioners, is pulled.
There is a drop of 5.18 metres beneath the trap door.
When the trap door opens, the noise reverberates throughout the prison in
the still morning, sending a chilling reminder especially to those in
death row.
In judicial hanging, the convict's death is due to the dislocation of the
cervical vertebrate.
The whole execution process, from the moment a convict arrives at the
death chamber to the time when the director gives the signal to the
hangman to pull the lever, only takes about 15 seconds.
Everything has been timed to ensure the execution is done quickly as any
delay will only torment further the condemned.
Samuel said death would occur between 30 and 60 seconds and the hanged
convict would be taken down and placed on a trolley after about 30
minutes.
"I always remind I disagreeistants to respect the body as the convict had
already served the punishment. If we do that, we'll not have any problems.
"As for me, I would normally look at the dead convict's face and put my
hand on the chest. This was an advice given by my former bosses," he said.
Samuel also related some unforgettable episodes in the course of his
special task where in one, an aggressive convict even attacked him.
His is no ordinary job and the hangman's story can serve as a reminder to
all of the consequences of tempting fate by going against the law.
(source : Bernama News)
"You're sentenced to death by hanging!" The verdict is terrifying enough
for the condemned. But has anyone ever thought how the hangman feels in
carrying out the execution?
For Samuel (not his real name), who has taken part in the execution of 103
death-row inmates, both men and women, it's all in a day's work.
He was with the execution team in some of the high-profile cases at the
Pudu, Kajang and Taiping prisons since enlisted for the "special task" 20
years ago.
His last task involved the hanging of a Nigerian, about 3 years ago, for a
drug offence.
"It's not easy to end someone's life," said this 48-year old prisons
deputy superintendent who has served the department for almost 30 years.
For Samuel, serving the Prisons Department is an honour, more so his
father and grandfather had also served the department.
During a 2-hour exclusive interview with Bernama at the Kajang Prison
recently, Samuel spoke of his special task and the executions he had
carried out.
HANGMAN'S CHARACTER TRAITS
To Samuel, the special task is like any other job, but certainly not a
"glamorous" one.
"I always go for challenging tasks and in prison you have two -- the
whipman's and the hangman's. If you have performed these 2, it means
you've achieved the very top like you've done your PhD if you're
studying," he said.
He talked of certain character traits that enabled him to perform the
hangman's task.
One, he said, he was never a cry-baby even when he was a little boy and
the other, he could overcome grieve very fast.
As he put it, "you cannot be soft-hearted to perform this task and at the
same time you cannot boast of what you are doing."
METICULOUS SELECTION
Many prison officers are keen to do this special task but the selection
process is meticulous.
Those who apply have only one chance. If they fail, there is no 2nd
chance.
According to Samuel, out of 30 applicants, perhaps 3 or 4 candidates would
make it and sometimes there was none.
"Prior to an interview, our job record would be scrutinised and our
financial standing is also important. To do this job, we must always have
a clear mind. Keeping secrets is crucial too, as the executioner will know
about the task one week in advance."
Samuel said his mentors scrutinised him before he was finally enlisted for
death-chamber duties.
"The hanging is not done daily. Maybe one or three in a year. That's the
time we will go to the death chamber. There's no special class, but a lot
of practical, on-the-job training," he added.
THE EARLY YEARS
Samuel, who carried out his first execution in Pulau Jerejak, Penang where
he also whipped convicts, said "job perfection" could not be achieved
overnight.
In the early years, he was made to observe how the executions were carried
out.
"I was an observer with the hanging team from 1986 and only made an
assistant in 1989," he said.
As an assistant, he would meet the condemned and bring him or her out from
the waiting cell just beside the death chamber.
He confessed in the early days he often had trouble sleeping because of
his work.
"It is normal to feel that somebody is waking you up from your sleep,
sometimes asking for a cigarette or seeking permission to go home. It's
the same when you step into the death chamber, where you get a strange
feeling like something is passing by.
"After 10 years and with more guts, I told myself dead that 'dead man
tells no tales'. When a man died, how could he return and disturb me?"
said Samuel in jest.
Mental and physical strength are important for those carrying out
executions as they wil be facing constant stress.
As for Samuel, he kept himself fit by cycling.
THE FIRST STEP TO EXECUTION
At the Kajang Prison, death-row inmates are incarcerated at the Abadi
Block until the execution is carried out.
They spend close to 23 hours in their own cell unless they are permitted
to leave the cell by the officer in charge.
Death-row convicts spend years behind bars until they have exhausted all
legal avenues that involve the Court of Appeal, Federal Court and the
State Pardon Board.
When the appeal to the State Pardon Board is rejected, the Federal Court
will issue a warrant for execution.
The warrant contains some personal details of the convict and the time of
execution, which is between 5.30am and 6.30am.
"We're given one hour to carry out the execution. For Muslim convicts, it
is normally done on a Friday, after the subuh (dawn) prayers. As for
non-Muslim convicts, the time is about the same, but the day can differ,"
said Samuel.
After the warrant is issued, the convict is taken to the prison director's
office where the hanging order is read out to him.
Here, the execution team will observe the convict's character and his
acceptance level as all these information are vital in carrying out the
execution.
FATE SEALED
"Normally, the death-row convict will know his fate when he's handcuffed
and taken out of his cell with full escort," said Samuel.
While the convict is taken to see the prison director, his family members
arrive at the prison for a tearful last meeting.
The convict is given a choice for his last meal at RM7.50.
While the convict meets with his family for the last time, the execution
team including "any new candidate for the special task" will head to the
death chamber.
They will spend three to four hours to get the death chamber ready and
also to choose the most appropriate hangman's noose.
THE HANGMAN'S NOOSE
The imported hangman's noose is made of the finest jute, wrapped with soft
leather. Each costs between RM4,000 and RM5,000.
The noose, when received from the agent, will be tested by hanging a dummy
weighing about 90.7 kg for 72 hours.
Each noose has a serial number and is classified as a weapon and therefore
kept in a safe.
"Each noose has its own load capacity but we make our own calculations as
well and follow the manual. There are 4 types of noose to choose from
according to the weight of the convict," Samuel explained.
One important feature of the noose is the 'killer brass' that will break
the condemned person's neck.
"I will ask all the team members what they think of the condemned. Only
then we choose the noose," Samuel said.
THE EXECUTION DAY
According to him, most death-row convicts accepted their fate with an open
heart, probably because they had been confined for a considerably long
period.
"Those who prayed a lot, regardless of religion, would remain calm while
waiting for the execution. Only a few became aggressive during the last
moments.
"Some convicts even told us that they were better off than us because they
knew when they were going to die. They even thanked us when we took them
out to the gallows as they couldn't bear to wait anymore," he recalled.
Most of the time, he said, the convicts would be asking for pen and paper
to write their farewell notes.
"Don't be like me" were among the words Samuel remembered written by a
convict before he was executed.
The convicts could also choose the clothes they wanted to wear on their
last day, he said.
"Some Muslim convicts wanted to die in their T-shirt and prayer pants.
There were others who chose coats and ties. One even wore a RM300 pair of
shoes. 'Why not die in style,' a convict told me in jest."
The hanging will only be carried out when all parties, including the
prison director and doctor, are satisfied with the convict's health on the
appointed day.
The convict is handcuffed from behind and the head covered with a hood.
The executioners will lead the convict from behind.
"In most cases, the convict's body became stiff, often quivering and we
had to use a lot of energy to walk him to the death chamber," Samuel said.
WHEN THE TRAP DOOR OPENS
The trap door on the death chamber floor, on which the convict stands,
opens when the lever, called the gear by the executioners, is pulled.
There is a drop of 5.18 metres beneath the trap door.
When the trap door opens, the noise reverberates throughout the prison in
the still morning, sending a chilling reminder especially to those in
death row.
In judicial hanging, the convict's death is due to the dislocation of the
cervical vertebrate.
The whole execution process, from the moment a convict arrives at the
death chamber to the time when the director gives the signal to the
hangman to pull the lever, only takes about 15 seconds.
Everything has been timed to ensure the execution is done quickly as any
delay will only torment further the condemned.
Samuel said death would occur between 30 and 60 seconds and the hanged
convict would be taken down and placed on a trolley after about 30
minutes.
"I always remind I disagreeistants to respect the body as the convict had
already served the punishment. If we do that, we'll not have any problems.
"As for me, I would normally look at the dead convict's face and put my
hand on the chest. This was an advice given by my former bosses," he said.
Samuel also related some unforgettable episodes in the course of his
special task where in one, an aggressive convict even attacked him.
His is no ordinary job and the hangman's story can serve as a reminder to
all of the consequences of tempting fate by going against the law.
(source : Bernama News)