Alabama Conducts Its First Execution Using Nitrogen Gas
Alabama has made history as the first state to execute a prisoner using nitrogen gas. Convicted murderer Kenneth Eugene Smith, aged 58, was sentenced to death for the contracted killing of Elizabeth Sennett, a preacher's wife, in 1989.
Despite battling the sentencing as cruel and unusual punishment through several appeals, Smith's execution was carried out after attempts by lethal injection failed in 2022.
The Death Penalty Information Center has confirmed that this is the first documented instance worldwide of an execution using pure nitrogen gas. Witness accounts from the execution detail Smith's violent reactions to the gas, with the process taking approximately 25 minutes.
The adoption of nitrogen hypoxia by Alabama and two other states reflects a shift due to difficulties in obtaining lethal injection drugs.
Governor Kay Ivey's statement supported the action, hoping for closure for the victim's family, while Attorney General Steve Marshall declared the method effective and humane, and Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Hamm indicated that Smith's reactions were anticipated.
On the night of the execution, three Supreme Court Justices dissented as Smith was denied a reprieve by the majority. Controversy surrounds the method, with medical professionals and even the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights raising concerns about the potential for inhumane outcomes.
Prior to his execution, Smith's preparations and final meals were documented, and his legal team expressed sorrow, emphasizing the complexity of his life.
Smith had previously admitted to being present at the murder scene but denied active involvement. He is the second man involved in Sennett's death to be executed; the orchestrator, Charles Sennett, committed suicide under investigation pressure.
The Death Penalty Information Center has confirmed that this is the first documented instance worldwide of an execution using pure nitrogen gas. Witness accounts from the execution detail Smith's violent reactions to the gas, with the process taking approximately 25 minutes.
The adoption of nitrogen hypoxia by Alabama and two other states reflects a shift due to difficulties in obtaining lethal injection drugs.
Governor Kay Ivey's statement supported the action, hoping for closure for the victim's family, while Attorney General Steve Marshall declared the method effective and humane, and Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Hamm indicated that Smith's reactions were anticipated.
On the night of the execution, three Supreme Court Justices dissented as Smith was denied a reprieve by the majority. Controversy surrounds the method, with medical professionals and even the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights raising concerns about the potential for inhumane outcomes.
Prior to his execution, Smith's preparations and final meals were documented, and his legal team expressed sorrow, emphasizing the complexity of his life.
Smith had previously admitted to being present at the murder scene but denied active involvement. He is the second man involved in Sennett's death to be executed; the orchestrator, Charles Sennett, committed suicide under investigation pressure.
