The gas is to be pumped into Kenneth Eugene Smith's body through a mask under the untested method.

An Alabama death row inmate is expected to become the first person in the US to be executed with nitrogen gas, after losing last-minute appeals.

The US Supreme Court and a lower appeals court declined to block what Kenneth Eugene Smith’s lawyers called a “cruel and unusual” punishment.

Opponents say using nitrogen could cause unnecessary suffering, and a leak could harm people present in the room.

Smith, 58, was convicted in 1989 of murdering Elizabeth Sennett.

Alabama has 30 hours to carry out the execution, which involves pumping nitrogen gas through a mask, from Thursday at 0600 GMT (0100 ET).

  • CoffeeJunkie@lemmy.world
    46·
    8 months ago

    Smith’s “spiritual advisor”, Reverend Jeff Hood…is a manipulative idiot. Not uncommon in the religious community.

    “It’s absolutely a terrifying thing to think that your life hangs in the balance with these guys.” Incorrect, he forfeited his life back in 1988 with the murder, they’re trying to finally carry out the death sentence. Nothing in 2024 is “hanging in the balance”.

    [Jeff Hood] requested that Alabama’s Governor Kay Ivey be present in the chamber during the execution to demonstrate her confidence in its safety, but had not received a response. “We have somebody who is championing this type of execution in the governor and yet she is unwilling to get her hands dirty,” No…no, Gov. Kay Ivey probably has better things to do than go out of her way to watch a man condemned to die, die. Acting like the governor of a whole-ass state needs to be brought to heel at the command of some random-ass, nobody preacher. 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 Please. How insulting is that?