Legal Definitions - devil on the neck

The term "devil on the neck" refers to a historical torture device primarily used to inflict severe physical pain and coerce confessions or information from individuals.

This device consisted of iron restraints designed to simultaneously fasten around a person's neck and legs. Once secured, these restraints could be gradually or quickly tightened, or "wrenched" together, forcing the victim's spine into an unnatural and excruciating position, ultimately leading to a broken back and immense suffering.

• Example 1: Interrogation during the Spanish Inquisition

  During the Spanish Inquisition, an individual accused of heresy might have been subjected to the "devil on the neck." The inquisitors would apply the device, tightening it incrementally, with the explicit goal of forcing the accused to confess to their alleged religious transgressions and to reveal the names of any co-conspirators. The extreme pain and the threat of permanent paralysis or death were intended to break the individual's will and secure a confession.

  This example illustrates the "devil on the neck" being used by an authoritative body (the Inquisition) as a means of physical torture to coerce a confession of a crime (heresy) and extract further information (names of others).

• Example 2: Extracting Information from a Captured Rebel Leader

  Consider a 16th-century kingdom where a prominent rebel leader has been captured by the king's forces. To uncover the full extent of the rebellion, including hidden weapon caches, strategic plans, or the identities of other high-ranking conspirators, the "devil on the neck" might have been employed during interrogation. The device would be used to inflict unbearable pain, compelling the leader to betray their cause and comrades in exchange for an end to the torture.

  Here, the device is used by a state power against a political adversary to coerce critical strategic information under extreme duress, demonstrating its application beyond religious contexts.

• Example 3: Coercing a Confession in a Feudal Criminal Case

  In a medieval barony, if a significant amount of the lord's treasury mysteriously disappeared, and a specific servant was strongly suspected but steadfastly denied involvement, the "devil on the neck" could have been brought into play. The lord's guards might use this device to compel the servant to admit to the theft and reveal the location of the stolen wealth, believing that the intense physical agony would overcome any resistance or false denials.

  This scenario shows the "devil on the neck" being used in a more localized criminal investigation context, where a powerful figure (feudal lord) employs physical torture to coerce a confession of a crime (theft) and recover missing property.