Back Peine forte et dure German Tortuga (método de tortura) Spanish Peine forte et dure Finnish Peine forte et dure French プレスヤード Japanese ചതച്ചുകൊല്ലൽ (വധശിക്ഷാരീതി) Malayalam Peine forte et dure Russian Peine forte et dure Turkish
Peine forte et dure (Law French for "hard and forceful punishment") was a method of torture formerly used in the common law legal system, in which a defendant who refused to plead ("stood mute") would be subjected to having heavier and heavier stones placed upon their chest until a plea was entered, or death resulted.
Many defendants charged with capital offences would refuse to plead in order to avoid forfeiture of property. If the defendant pleaded either guilty or not guilty and was executed, their heirs would inherit nothing, their property escheating to the state. If they refused to plead their heirs would inherit their estate, even if they died in the process.