This video is not convincing. There is a matter of a few seconds then Saddam is on the ground, presumably dead. I can hold my breath way longer than the interval shown on this video. I have a problem with the trench coat that could have hidde a harness, and the material around his neck that could have hidden a collar. This is the way we fake hangings in the theatre.
http://yarchive.net/med/hanging.html
QUESTION: I have recently read that hanging victims died instantly because of a broken neck. Is this true? To me it sounds a bit unlikely: there are many people who have broken their necks and are still alive. Marco
ANSWER: No, the only thing that happens when you break your neck is that you don't kick and dance. It adds the pain of a broken neck to the first few seconds of the experience.
By all acounts death by hanging is only unpleasant during the time you want to breathe but can't, and you begin to lose consciousness due
to carotid artery constriction (following which the semi-conscious
events, by accounts of survivors, are quite pleasant, due to endorphins
released as the brain dies of ischemia-- the tremenous sense of
euphoria, calm, the white light, and so on). That's 10 or 15 seconds
if the noose is done correctly. The best way be hanged is probably
after taking a deep breath (so you don't need to breathe for the next
15 seconds) and having a noose which is well oiled and constricts well.
The neck-breaking is quite optional. Obviously, there are various ways
it can be bungled. But before 1850 when "the long drop" was pioneered
by Britain's hangmen, there are numberous accounts of people hanged by
the old method, who didn't struggle at all. Major John Andre, for
instance.
Whether your neck breaks or not, the time it takes the heart to
stop can be a few minutes to almost 20. Breaking the neck sucessfully
seems to shorten this time a bit, for reasons I don't fully understand,
but not by a great deal, and not infallably. And the tradeoffs, as
remarked, aren't worth it.
Are you a Moon Landing or 9/11 doubter?
The reason the knot is so big is lateral force on the cervical vertabrae. This lateral force also adds shearing which severs the spinal cord close to the brain stem. No recovery.
Never heard of a "theatrical" that didn't involve a harness and a noose that was completely unconnected to any load-bearing part of the system...except maybe the darwin players.
It isn't over,
Stay alert,
The video's angle makes it appear as if Saddam is horizontal (i.e., on the ground) but, if you watch is closely over and over, you'll see he is still suspended by the rope around his neck.
He's dead.
If you want to view it in 16x9, 1080p with 5.1 DTS surround, you can hold your breath. From reports published, the execution was officially taped with a Sony HD cam. Not sure how many microphones they had on the set so I can't guarantee the sound.
Agreed. While I'm 99.9% certain he is dead, this video is all but worthless in proof of that. It offers more questions than answers.
One consideration: When the neck snaps correctly the spinal cord is also severed, resulting in the deadening of any sensations or the inability for the transmission of sensations either up or down the spinal cord. Thus, I'd think there would be no pain if the hanging is done correctly, and the organs such as the heart would fail fairly quickly as the brain can no longer control anything. Just a thought.
Your post suggests some conspiracy to fake this event. What motive is there for that? And who would be perpetrating it?
Check out post 11, does that look like they faked the hanging to you?
By the way, how's Elvis doing? He's just back from an exhausting tour of the Galaxy but he is relaxing comfortably at area 51. P.S., E.T. gives us his regards.