Prisoner is weighed prior to execution. The "drop" is based on the prisoners weight,(tables were developed in England during the 1800's) to deliver 1260 foot-pounds of force to the neck. Essentially, the prisoners weight in pounds is divided into 1260 to arrive at a drop in feet. This is to assure almost instant death, a minimum of bruising, and neither strangulation nor beheading. Properly done, death is by dislocation of thr third or fourth cervical vertibrae. The familiar noose coil is placed behind the prisoner's left ear, so as to snap the neck upon dropping.