e convicted killer should be murdered in the same manner as the victim. This may sound cruel and inhumane, but it is reasonable and can be supported by one solid fact. If a murderer feels that he or she has the right to end the life of another human being violently, then the murderer should be punished in the same way as he or she punished their victim. I have always believed that cruel and unusual punishment during the execution of a murderer does not exist. My opinion has recently been changed. There is a certain line that should not be crossed when executing a convicted killer. Unfortunately, this line has been crossed many times. Many cases of cruel and unusual punishment exist, not only to the victims of murders, but of the murderers themselves. On April 23, 1899, a black man named Sam Hose was executed in Palmetto, Georgia. Hose admitted to the shooting and killing of his boss in self-defense during a dispute over wages. Added to this undisputed fact was a fictitious rumor. Supposedly, Hose had also sexually assaulted his boss' wife. A newspaper, the Atlanta Constitution, offered a $500 reward for the return of Sam Hose so that his body could be burned alive. He was captured after a short period of time. Trains brought spectators from miles around to watch the event. Hose, while wrapped in chains, was led to a stake in the middle of a dirt road in Palmetto. The torture was about to begin (Clarke 273). First his ears were sliced off and thrown into the crowd as souvenirs. Then, one by one, his fingers and toes were amputated. Coal oil was poured all over his body and he was set aflame. Only his charred remains were left after the flames ceased. As if these actions were not cruel enough, his remains were sold to spectators. Bones were sold for a quarter and slices of his heart and liver were sold for a dime. No one was arrested, not even Sam Hose (274). According to the Tuskegee Institute's records, dating back to 1882, scenes such ...
