Arr! Alabama be makin' history by sendin' a prisoner to Davy Jones' locker with pure nitrogen! Aye, the debate rages on!
2023-08-27
Arr, Alabama be yearnin' t'be the first land o' state t'execute a scurvy prisoner by makin' him breathe naught but pure nitrogen, a method that them scoundrels be callin' "experimentin'." Avast, the winds be blowin' strange indeed in these modern times!
Alabama is seeking to execute a death row inmate, Kenneth Eugene Smith, by making him breathe pure nitrogen. This method, known as nitrogen hypoxia, has never been used before, although it is authorized in three states. Smith was convicted in 1988 for the murder-for-hire killing of a preacher's wife. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall called it a travesty that Smith has avoided his death sentence for almost 35 years. Nitrogen hypoxia involves depriving the inmate of oxygen by forcing them to breathe only nitrogen. Proponents argue that it would be a painless method, while opponents see it as human experimentation.Alabama authorized nitrogen hypoxia in 2018 due to a shortage of lethal injection drugs. However, it has not been used for execution. Oklahoma and Mississippi have also authorized this method but have not implemented it. The revelation that Alabama intends to use nitrogen hypoxia is expected to spark legal battles over its constitutionality. The Equal Justice Initiative, a legal advocacy group against the death penalty, criticized the state's history of "failed and flawed executions" and warned against experimenting with an unproven method.
Alabama previously attempted to execute Smith by lethal injection but failed due to issues with inserting an IV. Lethal injections in the state resumed last month after a pause for an internal review of procedures. The state has been working on developing a protocol for nitrogen hypoxia, but details have not been disclosed. Smith and other inmates challenging their executions have argued for the option of nitrogen hypoxia. Smith's victim, Elizabeth Sennett, was murdered in 1988, allegedly on behalf of her husband who wanted to collect insurance money. The other man involved in the killing was executed in 2010.