Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: HANGING
Definition: Hanging is a way of punishing people who have done very bad things. It involves tying a rope around their neck and lifting them up in the air. This can cause them to stop breathing and die, or their neck might break and they will die instantly.
Definition: The act of carrying out an execution by suspending the person above the ground by a rope around the person's neck. Death is caused by asphyxiation (by being hoisted from the ground) or by a sudden breaking of the cervical vertebrae (by being dropped from a height).
Example: In the past, hanging was a common method of execution for serious crimes such as murder and treason. The convicted person would be led to the gallows, where a noose would be placed around their neck. Then, they would be dropped from a height, causing their neck to break and leading to their death.
This example illustrates how hanging is a form of execution that involves suspending a person by a rope around their neck. The act of dropping them from a height causes their death either by asphyxiation or by breaking their neck.