I think so... And a doctor would also be present to witness the
hanging, and then to examine and certify death after the body has
been taken down.
I think the chinese evening papers once ran a feature on this..
about how the family is informed in writing a week before the
execution to prepare for the funeral arrangements, whilst the
condemned prisoner will only be notified the day before.
Can you imagine the agony the prisoners on death row must
experience come every thursday, not knowing if they will be served
the notice? And how they will then spend the terrifying last few
hours of their lives?
Apparantly it was reported that such prisoners will then have the
privilege of watching TV, listening to the radio and ordering their
favourite food (which a prison warden will go out and buy from the
Changi Village hawker centre).
