Posted on 07/01/2014 6:43:12 PM PDT by equalator
Under common law, punishment for treason generally included drawing, hanging, beheading, and quartering. As with other crimes carrying sentence of death, those adjudged guilty of treason and finally sentenced were considered attaint, or stained, meaning dead in the eyes of the laweven before execution. Once attainder was established, the attainted forfeited his real estate to the Crowna requirement symbolizing lack of entitlement to the benefits of society. Attainder also worked corruption of blood, preventing the attainted from inheriting or transmitting property and preventing any person from deriving title through the attainted. Forfeitures and corruption of blood worked hardship on dependents and relatives in order to provide maximum deterrence. Eventually, Parliament modified the laws of forfeiture and corruption of blood to protect the innocent.
(Excerpt) Read more at heritage.org ...
Learning is fun.
"First he was drawn, that is, tied to a horse and dragged to the gallows. A so-called hurdle, or sledge, is sometimes mentioned in this context. Although such a device may have been a means of mercy, The History of English Law Before the Time of Edward I (2nd ed., 1898; reissued 1996) states that it was more likely a way to deliver a live body to the hangman. The remainder of the punishment might include hanging (usually not to the death), usually live disemboweling, burning of the entrails, beheading, and quartering. This last step was sometimes accomplished by tying each of the four limbs to a different horse and spurring them in different directions."
Any of the above would work for me!
Interesting and nostalgic, but everyone knows that the modern “punishment” for treason is a lateral or upward move to another agency with better parking.
Emasculation— nice touch
Tarring and feathering
I suspect this is what the Founders had in mind as "cruel and unusual punishment." Not an inadequate TV in a prison cell.
Well I suppose it’s all relative. I remember a story about a man who ran afoul of California’s 3-strikes law. On his third strike, he stole a strawberry from a store, and had to spend the rest of his life in prison. Steal a strawberry and you go to prison for life. There are people on this planet who have destroyed millions of lives, an entire civilization, put the entire world into chaotic imbalance and stolen trillions. I think that is a bit worse than stealing a strawberry.
That foul fowl looks like Biden!
that really is a funny coincidence
Perhaps O is eligible for all three since his acts are so egregious
I doubt that he ever gets his due.
Touche’ old Chap
Maybe they were trying to send a message?
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