The Evolution of Execution in North Carolina

The methods of execution in North Carolina have changed significantly since the first recorded execution in 1726 (Gallagher 1). Since this time, capital punishment has become more humane. The changes that took place made a vital difference in the way condemned prisoners were put to death.
In colonial times, most offenders were sentenced to death by hanging, a simple procedure that has been used as a means of execution for as long as man can remember. Initially hanging was strangulation accomplished by placing a rope around the neck and hanging the offender from a tree. It was later modified to become more civilized. This resulted in the "long drop" method ("Execution Methods" 1). The accused was dropped several feet and stopped by a rope fastened around the neck. The force of the drop and the sudden stop broke bones in the neck and severed the spinal cord causing an almost immediate death. The drop method was considered the only humane means of hanging ("Execution Methods" 1).
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