Perhaps this is much of the problem - sleuthers trying to define the ligature that killed Jonbenet and its purpose as one or the other - the debate as to whether it is a functioning garrotte or not, and if it is not, then its purpose must not have been to kill her, but to be only there for staging .... when in fact it can be all of the following: a ligature - garrotte - tourniquet: a killing device...
We know that the ligature on Jonbenet's neck is not just for staging, for asphyxia is called out as a contributor in her death, and we can see the deep furrow from the strangulation by the ligature - it is one of the primary causes of death. So perhaps it is a garrotte-tourniquet-ligature all-in-one and we should look at
how it killed her, not how a garrotte is
'supposed' to kill someone...
It is interesting to note that in this article/instruction piece, the author not only points out that a garrotte is not one type of device to the exclusion of all others, but compares a garrotte method more than once to "like using a stick and a tourniquet".
http://www.donrearic.com/thegarrotte.html
(Article cropped for purposes related to our discussion...)
A Short History Of The Garrotte
".....Some people have a heavy opinion on this issue. They have opinions as to the legitimacy of the garrotte as a tool of self-preservation. Others have strong opinions as to the definition of "garrotte."
Some people say, "Well, the garrotte is a..." and then they define it to the exclusion of anything else. The simple fact of the matter is, a "Garrotte" was an execution device that was utilized in Spain up until the mid-1970s. A few other countries used it now and again. And there were many different types of garrottes used as execution devices.
When someone says, "The garrotte is only a killing weapon..." Technically, they are correct, but they are not usually speaking of the execution device that was once used for Capital Punishment, therefore, they are incorrect in reality.
The number one deciding factor is intent. How you use it. You can use some "garrottes" as a Flexible Weapon with no intent whatsoever to kill.
The garrotte had a couple of different forms. One had a metallic collar that was placed around your neck and the collar had a threaded hole that a bolt was inserted through. On the other end of the bolt was a large "T" handle for the executioner. The condemned was seated in a chair, the collar placed over a wooden post and the head of the prisoner, then, the executioner began to tighten the contraption until your neck was crushed or your vertebrae were dislocated, broken or crushed.
Later versions had a blade that ran through the bolt for what was thought to be a "mercy killing." The blade was slipped between the vertebrae, severing the spinal cord.
In a pinch, the improvised garrotte could be a seat, wooden post, strong cord and a metal bar. The noose being affixed around the post and neck of the condemned, the bar could be inserted and the cord twisted until death occurred.
Much like using a tourniquet and stick.
These are "garrottes." The important thing to remember is, if someone says, "No, thats not a garrotte, this is a garrotte..." And they are speaking in absolutes or anything other than an execution device, theyre incorrect. More on that later.
Other "Garrottes"
So, if we exclude the execution devices, what is left? If we do exclude the execution devices, any flexible or semi-flexible weapon that cuts the air off by compressing and/or crushing the trachea, severs (up to and including complete decapitation) the trachea and other vital structures (carotid arteries, jugular veins, vagus nerve, etc.) or breaks the neck, we have a list of items that have been used as a "garrotte."
One Point of View: The Debate
I was once involved in a debate with a person who insisted that a "True Garrotte" would be a "cutter." Meaning, a piano wire or guitar string garrotte. The wire being so fine that it would cut into the structures rather than compress/crush them.
If we trace the lineage of these hand held devices back to the origin of the word, as I did above, we see the "Original Garrotte" did nothing of the sort. The "Original" killed by compression and/or crushing and sometimes neck fracture.
Yet, I consider the "cutters" a form of garrotte because there is modern history to back that up. However, the "cutter" type of garrotte is not a "true" garrotte. Its just another type of garrotte.
The "Cutter"
Back before delicatessens had slicer machines, the cheese was usually cut by a wire. Yes, a "Cheese Cutter" was basically a wire with two handles. As far as I can tell, this is where the "Modern Cutter Garrotte" came from. The source is Meltons "Clandestine Warfare."
The British SOE and American OSS used these devices, to what degree I do not know. Some wire garrottes with machined and knurled brass handles (for enhanced grip) were manufactured and issued. They are in the OSS Weapons Catalog, as well as other references...
Gigli bone saws were also used as "Survival Saws" as well as "Cutter" Garrottes during World War Two.
The "Crusher"
"The Garrotte. Thugs in India have long been known for their method of strangling, called garrotting. It can be executed with a rope, strong cord or a piece of twisted cloth about three feet long with a noose in one end. This is a garrotte. Properly applied, it produces a deadly, silent strangle.
Slip the noose over the forefinger of the right hand so that the loop lies down across the palm toward the little finger. Close the right hand and pick up the free end of the cord with the left hand, so that the thumb and fingers are on the inner side of the cord and the end is even with the little finger. Approach the victim from the rear and, opening the right hand, throw the loop over his head with the left. Use the left hand to draw the noose through the right hand until it is nearly taut about the neck. Then close the right hand about the noose at the back of the victims neck and twist as you would in applying a tourniquet. With your hand against the back of his neck and your right arm stiff, the victim is held at arms length and is unable to free himself from the strangling cord or to reach his attacker. A hard pull to the rear at this point will make the victim fall backward and cause his chin to fold down over the cord, thus adding his own body weight to the pressure of the strangle." ~Col. Rex Applegate, Kill or Get Killed
In the illustration above you can see the finishing position of what Applegate describes. The right hand is INSIDE the loop, when the loop is pulled tight around the neck and your hand, a fist is made with the open hand then the fist is cranked counterclockwise.
Much like a stick in a tourniquet. The palm is open and oriented UP, then closed into a fist and oriented DOWN.
What Colonel Applegate was describing was the method and weapon of the ancient Thugee Cult of India. This is where we get our slang word of "." The word "" comes from the Hindi verb, "thaglana," which means, "to deceive."
I do not know if the garrotte described above contained a rupee or not. There is another line of thought that there was more than one way to strangle with a scarf [rumal]. And that was, a rupee or rupees [coins] were tied into the end of the scarf to give it weight so it could be thrown around the neck and then the strangle was initiated. In fact, more than a line of thought, there is proof of this from the period of British Occupation of India when the British suppressed the Thugee Cult and executed and imprisoned thousands of Thugs.
....In "Kill or Get Killed," Applegate then mentions the "Stick Strangle." This is a triangular method where the stick is held in reverse grip and inserted under the chin from behind (or from the front)...John Steyers covered this Stick Strangle in his book, "Cold Steel."
Then, he addresses other methods of strangulation:
"The Cord Strangle. Another type of strangulation, as old as history in the Far East, is accomplished with any light cord or wire of good tensile strength, about 18 inches long. The thinner the cord or wire, the quicker will be the effectiveness. Tie a loop at each end of the cord, or tie small wooden blocks on the ends, so that a secure grip can be taken. Approaching the man from the rear, throw him off balance, as with the stick [strangle], with your right foot against the inside of his right knee. With a hand on each end of the cord (the cord held taut), bring the cord over the victims head and back against the throat. Cross the hands at the rear of the neck and apply pressure both ways. Strangulation is quick and silent..." ~Applegate
Takedowns, Using the Enemys Weight
There are four basic ways to take someone to the ground immediately following any of these maneuvers.
#1 Pulling straight downward and back.
#2 Kicking the back of the knee and pulling back and down.
#3 Knee strike to the lower back and a pull backwards and down.
#4 A quick turn of the body where you are back to back with the enemy and the enemy is hoisted off of his feet to complete the crush. This is the movement that can possibly result in decapitation if a "cutter" garrotte is used.
In Closing...
.....I cannot imagine going through the trouble of carrying something with such a single purpose as a "cutting" garrotte. That is a specific type of weapon and the only outcome from the proper use of one is death of the opponent, and that is going to be carried out from behind almost exclusively, as in Sentry Removal.
Any belt, length of rope, cord, a telephone cord, whatever is at hand, can be a garrotte. You can carry a very strong bandana or scarf with that being carried with the intent to be used as a flexible weapon. A jacket or light coat can be used as a garrotte, like the belt, it is a common, every day item. The every day items that are all around us points to flexible weapons being really viable and valuable Self-defense tools.
Anything other than a "cutting" garrotte can be used with lethal or non-lethal intent. So, if you make an improvised garrotte from 550 ParaCord, what you do with it will be the deciding factor".
Don Rearic
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....More info on Ligatures/Tourniquets/Garrottes/Knots -
From here:
http://www.corpus-delicti.com/ligature.html:
THE KNOT
The ligature is usually drawn once or twice around the neck and pulled tight until unconsciousness or death occurs. There will be a break in the ligature furrow at the point where the assailant's hands were. If there is a knot or tourniquet impression on the neck of the victim, and no ligature is present, then the ligature was, at some point after the victim's death, untied and removed.
Now ask some questions of the knot or tourniquet: How tight was it? Could the victim have accomplished it themselves(suicide)? Is this something that took some time to think about and put together, or was it done in a hurry with materials found at the scene?
Note the nature and complexity of any knots or tourniquets, and try to identify them if possible. It may be possible to generate a narrow suspect pool from the type of knot used. In cases of suicidal strangulation, a single knot is almost always used.
The tourniquet method, however, is used in both homicide and suicide cases. Remember also that the tourniquet method takes time to implement on an unwilling victim.
The term garroting is applicable in situations where a victim is attacked from behind without warning, overpowered, and killed. There is very little time or assailant/victim interaction. If an assailant employs a more time consuming method, what does this say about his perceptions of time? If the assailant attacks and kills with very little interaction with the victim, what does that say?
When thinking about the knot or tourniquet or the nature of the ligature itself as applied to the victim, the two most important questions to ask are:
1) What did the assailant take time to do? 2) What did the assailant not take time to do? This will establish what was important or not so important to this assailant during the attack.
THE LIGATURE PATTERN
"It is not unusual in homicidal ligature strangulation to find that there is more than one ligature mark, each of varying intensity and crossing each other, in parallel or at an angle to each other. Together with such an appearance, one quite commonly sees abrasions caused by movement of a ligature across the neck, or associated fingernail marks, either from the victim attempting to remove the ligature or (together with finger- tip bruising) from the assailant attempting to secure the ligature and/or restrain the neck from moving or even attempting manual strangulation. The victim's clothing or necklace may also be caught in the ligature during a struggle and marks from these require careful evaluation."
"...If a thin ligature is used, there will be a very prominent deep mark encircling the neck."
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