He has done a study on the death of Jesus and believes he did not die of asphyxiation but from shock and trauma. Dr. Zugibe suspended student volunteers with supports for their feet and hands from a conventional T-shaped cross and monitored their physiological response. If the arms were outstretched, there is no evidence whatsoever of breathing difficulty despite their suspension, which ranged from five to forty-five minutes. According to Dr. Zugibe the issue involved is the angle of the victim's arms which would have been 60-70 degrees on a cross. Someone executed on a torture stake could not have been able to flex their elbows and have adequate exhalation.