When were the last death sentences by hanging and/or decapitation performed?

Question

A question that just randomly popped into my mind.

Also, if you can answer it, who was killed and wat made them be the last?

Beside the fact that both are kinda frightening.

Answer 1

The states of New Hampshire (if lethal injection cannot be given) and Washington (at inmate's request) authorize hanging as a method of execution at the current time.  Charles Rodman Campbell was the latest to be executed by hanging by the state of Washington on May 27 1994.

Billy Bailey was the most recent person in the U.S. to have been hanged--he was executed in Delaware on January 25 1996.  Since his offense occured before June 13 1986, Bailey was able to choose this method of execution.  Delaware now has lethal injection as the sole option.

Answer 2

This happens quite frequently. For instance, Saddam Hussein was executed by hanging. As others have pointed out, some Islamic countries execute by beheading (Iran and Saudi Arabia).  Several terrorists in the Philippines sentenced to death have asked to be beheaded.  For the French, until they abolished capital punishment in 1981, the guillotine (ie: beheading) was the only lawful means of execution (besides military firing squads).

Since hanging and beheading are still used, the last individuals to so be executed won't be the last very long.  The last execution beheading I'm aware of in Saudi Arabia took place in January 2008 (a house maid convicted of killer her employer).  There are many places that still hang including Iraq and Iran.

Answer 3

They are both still being done today in many countries.

Decapitations are still happening in Saudi Arabia, for instance.  And, I believe that hanging is still on the books in multiple countries.  Japan, Iraq, Jamaica, Nigeria.. etc. etc...

Did you have a specific country in mind?

EDIT:

I've got something you might be interested in...  The state of Texas has been kind enough to keep detailed records of the last words of each of the people it has put to death.  There is a great website where you can go through the words of men (and women) who have been killed by Texas'.

http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/execute...

DISCLAIMER:  I'm not particularly for or against the death penalty.  I don't think it does much to deter crime, but I think it sure cuts down on recidivism.  :)

Answer 4

FYI, in Utah firing squad is still useable. Also, we've never used decapitation in the US.  

Answer 5

The United States -

The last person hanged in the United States was Billy Bailey, on January 25, 1996 in Delaware, and later the same state abolished this practice.

Singapore -

Singapore currently employs mandatory execution as punishment for various crimes (for example, drug trafficking over certain quantities). The only execution method currently employed is via hanging using the long-drop method.

Iran -

One of the hanging execution procedures currently used in Iran does not use a drop, but involves using an automotive telescoping crane to hoist the condemned aloft. This method may have been adapted from yardarm hangings carried out by the Royal Navy.

A recent hanging carried out by this method in Iran was that of a 16 year old girl, Ateqeh Rajabi, who was hanged in August 2004 for sexual misdemeanours. The conduct of her case and her actual execution were very controversial internationally.

Soviet Union -

In the Soviet Union, the last persons to be sentenced to death by hanging were Andrey Vlasov and 11 other officers of his army on August 1, 1946.

Britain -

In 1965 Parliament passed the 'Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act' abolishing capital punishment for murder. And with the introduction of the Human Rights Act in 1998, the death penalty was officially abolished for all crimes in both civilian and military cases.

Answer 6

Last public hanging in the USA was Rainey Bethea in 1936 in Owensboro, Kentucky.