An excerpt from a short post on capital punishment by Hendrik Hertzberg:
Now that we are learning more about what “lethal injection” sometimes entails, it doesn’t look so nice. Perhaps this is an area where we could learn from our Chinese friends. Their method of execution, I’m convinced, is the kindest of all: a pistol shot to the back of the head. It’s quick, it’s inexpensive, and it’s not as messy as you might assume.
Go if only to read what he reveals about the guillotine method.
And, if this is a topic that interests you, read: In our country, if a death sentence were pronounced honestly, it would sound like this.