<P> As Delaware had not carried out a hanging in 50 years, it sought advice from corrections officials at Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, Washington, where hangings had recently been performed . </P> <P> The wooden gallows were built on the grounds of the Delaware Correctional Center at Smyrna in 1996, as Bailey's execution date approached . The structure required renovation and strengthening before Bailey could be executed on it . The platform housing the trap door was 15 feet (4.6 m) from the ground and accessed by 23 steps . </P> <P> Delaware used an execution protocol written by Fred Leuchter . This specifies the use of 30 feet (9.1 m) of 0.75 - inch (19 mm) diameter Manila hemp rope, boiled to take out stretch and any tendency to coil . The area of the rope sliding inside the knot was lubricated with melted paraffin wax to allow it to slide freely . A black hood is specified by the protocol, as is a sandbag to test the trap door and a "collapse board" to which a prisoner can be strapped if necessary . </P> <P> The day before, Bailey was weighed as 220 lb (100 kg), and the drop was determined to be at around 5 feet (1.5 m). </P>

When was the last death penalty by hanging