Could you watch an execution?

[Soubriquet]

Watching a film and there’s an execution and of course there’s people sitting behind the glass watching and it made me think, could I watch it?

I don’t think I could. Even if they murdered someone I loved very much, I’m not sure I could sit there and watch someone else die.

But then others say it can bring a sense of closure to them.

What about you?

No I couldn’t. I don’t agree with the death penalty at all and just couldn’t be a part of it.

Another reason not to ever set foot in KSA or China

No. I don't understand how anyone would want to.

What film? The Green Mile is very different to another example in another film.
I have several books written by those who had to be a witness to executions as part of their job.
The family of the victim have often come to watch.
We don’t have the death penalty here, UK. Are you somewhere which does?
Pierrepoint had a well devised strategy a long time ago, which was very effective. Not like the USA with theirs now and for a long time.

To answer the question, if the person was proven guilty beyond all doubt. Yes, I could. Many more people, especially women are murdered day to day for nothing more than (usually male murderers) a whim. The world over. At least we don’t oftenhave to see their last tortuous moments, and if we do it’s because these disgusting bastards filmed it.

I think it would haunt me for a long time. Exactly how it would haunt me would depend on what I believed they’d done.

I could watch. If someone murdered my child or partner? My only regret would be not killing them myself.

Yes, me too. As you say, it's barbaric.

Yes, there seems to be a lot of controversy over the lethal injection. They don't die immediately and it seems to be very painful and prolonged. If it does have to be done, at least do it in a humane way like they do with animals.

Yes absolutely I could . If someone tortured/ killed a loved one then justice is served .

No. Never. The death penalty is horrifying. I would be traumatised by watching as if it was a spectacle.

Yes, if the person meant something to me - either as a perpetrator or a loved one.

But I absolutely wouldn’t watch a stranger being put to death.

I could happily watch the execution of a pedophile or child killer.

I know that because I have.

It left me with a sense of peace, and is the only thing I miss after moving to the UK.

If it was someone that hurt my family then I could happily strap the bugger in and flip the switch myself!

Much more recently, in 1972 was the last one that was public I think, there were non public executions until 1977.

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20221126-how-one-beheading-50-years-ago-led-france-to-end-the-death-penalty

No I wouldn’t, I don’t believe in the DP.

No

I think you are confusing justice and retribution.

People saying they press the button is a completely different thing because you're taking an active measure to end someone's life and the examples given are when that person has hurt your own family. I think the OP is talking about just watching some random person be executed. That's a completely different thing. I know public executions in the Middle East are videoed and those videos are really popular. I can't understand that at all.

Not in my eyes . Take a life you pay with your own . If some see it as revenge that’s fine . I don’t care .

You would all be sat with the persons ….parents,wife/husband….possibly young adult children. Friends

they would be upset. Distraught.
all this mumsnet bravado makes me laugh every time there’s a thread like this

Charles Dickens wrote a piece about a public hanging and the awful behaviour of the crowd and the practice in general. I couldn’t watch either a public or private execution.

@YouWillFindMeInTheGarden I don't think this subject is in any way a laughing matter. We none of us know what we would actually do if the "opportunity" arose to witness a state murder of someone who had murdered a family member. We may think we know, but until such time we cannot know and I sincerely hope we don't experience the pain of losing a loved one in such circumstances.

I think the DP is completely wrong. Aside from there always being the possibility of finding guilty the wrong person, for me one such "mistake" is one too many, the idea that the state can kill someone as part of the process of justice is abhorrent. It's retribution and it lowers the state far below the standards I want to see.

So you would be fine if your partner or child was put to death for, say, running someone over and killing them due to carelessness?

I am very proud that the UK does not have a DP.

www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/13/peter-sullivan-jail-murder-conviction-quashed-diane-sindall