New York's Grisly Quest for the 'Most Humane' Execution Method

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In 1887, the state of New York appointed the 'Gerry Commission' to investigate and recommend the most humane and practical method of carrying out the death penalty. The commission cataloged 34 different execution methods, from burning and boiling to blowing from a cannon and pounding in a mortar. After thoroughly examining the gruesome details of each method, the commission ultimately concluded that none were sufficiently humane and recommended the electric chair, which became the standard method in New York and many other states.

Why it matters

The Gerry Commission report had lasting impacts on the criminal justice system, as it led to the adoption of electrocution as the primary method of execution in the United States. While intended to be more humane than previous methods like hanging, the early electric chair executions were still brutal affairs. The report also highlighted the challenges of finding an 'ethical' way to end a human life, an issue that continues to be debated today.

The details

The three-member Gerry Commission was tasked with examining every possible method of execution, from the conventional (hanging) to the bizarre (blowing from a cannon, pounding in a mortar). Their comprehensive report provided lurid details on 34 different execution techniques, including beheading, burning, burying alive, and the 'illuminated body' method invented by the Shah of Persia. While some methods may have offered a strong deterrent effect, the commission ultimately found that none were sufficiently humane, efficient, and practical. The report's recommendation of electrocution as the new standard method of execution in New York led to the creation of the electric chair, which became widely adopted across the United States in the early 20th century.

• The Gerry Commission was appointed by the New York State Legislature in 1887.
• The commission's report was published in 1888.
• New York conducted the first intentional electrocution of a condemned prisoner, William Kemmler, in 1890.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The Gerry Commission's recommendation of electrocution as a more humane execution method led to the creation of the electric chair, which became widely adopted across the United States in the early 20th century. The electric chair remains an optional form of execution in several southern states today, though lethal injection is now considered the more humane method.