Report from a Crucifixion

I'm coming to you live from Golgotha with this exclusive report on the end of week crucifixions. Three people have been crucified today, and there's been some controversy over one of the crucified as he has replaced a well-known criminal who received a pardon. As you can see behind me there's quite a crowd.

Details I've obtained about the man now hanging from the cross in the center are that he was employed as a carpenter until a few years ago when he became itinerant and began a religious political group. Standing with me here is a legal expert and commentator who has been following this.
What has this case really been all about?

Legal Expert: It's a complicated case. Initially he upset local religious authorities but legally he was charged with treason. He was accused of subversion and inciting tax evasion. The case has been extensively litigated and has been from one court to another. The highest court said his case didn't fall under it's juridisction and sent him to a lower court where he appeared on trial. However that court declined to rule and his case went back to the highest court. He was sentenced to death at his third hearing.

Anchor: What I've heard is that he was found innocent. Yet sentenced to death?

Legal Expert: The law is complicated. There were witnesses at a religious trial who testified against him. And one of his own party has spoken against him too. The testimonies of those people were not admissable, but at his trial leading local authorities who know him made their issues known. The death sentence has taken into account the facts from those who have known him and the public interest. And polls are showing a significant majority believe he should have received the death penalty.

Anchor: Right. From a political viewpoint it wouldn't be popular if the government pardoned him.
With me now is a doctor who has extensive experience in monitoring crucifixions. Doctor - is this a cruel method of death? Won't he be in extreme pain right now?

Doctor: It's important for the families of the crucified to understand that crucifixion can be a painless death. The person releases endorphins in response to stress and experiences a type of euphoria. They are also given a drug to help anaethestise their senses. So although crucifixion can take a few days before the person is let go, they are at peace during the process. And of course sometimes the crucified have their legs broken so they pass on more rapidly.

Anchor: I see. So it's actually a caring way of letting some-one go. I'm just going to ask a few questions from our social commentator now. This case has generated a lot of interest. Why do you think that is?

Social Commentator: Well of course there are those who are just using this for political benefit. Supporters of this man's party are gaining a lot of publicity for themselves and their political agenda now. I would say that it's also an issue that strikes people personally because his family are opposed to his death, and as you can see his mother is standing over there now grief-stricken as she looks at her crucified son. We all have families and this is quite a tragic scene. This crucifixion in particular has generated a lot of emotionalism. Of course the conservative section of the general public are opposed to it, although surprisingly non-conservatives are too. It's brought out a lot of personal and political lines of demarcation for people and reflects some of the divides that exist in our society. There's no mention of him having a will of course and he has not spoken for himself directly on the death issue. But a person close to him for years handed him to the authorities and had his best interests in mind. I think what people can learn from this crucifixion is that they need to have a will and make their position on crucifixion clearly known.

Anchor: I'd like to just ask a few of the members of the public here today what their views are on this. This lady has been here for some time now. What is your view on this?

Lady: He got whipped and beaten and I don't think he would be fully functional after that. A lot of people die after being whipped and beaten. So they should just let him go now.

Anchor: And this man here - what's your take on this crucifixion?

Man: We have laws for a reason. If the court found he should be executed then that's what should happen. It's been from one court to another and back again and it needed to be finished once and for all.

Anchor: And this lady - your view?

Lady: I'm undecided. I feel sorry for his family. He wasn't working - just travelling around, and he got beaten which would have made him less functional. I don't know.

Anchor: And I'll ask this man here - what's your opinion on this?

Man: He should die. People are just trying to keep him alive for their own politics. I'm sick of the religious politicos using everything for their own agenda. It's obvious he wouldn't be properly functional after being flogged and he has just caused a lot of hostility. He caused his own beating and flogging with his behaviour and now some people are complaining. He got sentenced and he's crucified like he should be.

Anchor: As you can see this need-to-die case is controversial. The crowd here have been well behaved as they continue to watch him dying, and the two men either side of him. Our camera is giving a close-up now. Back to you in the studio in Rome.

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