Posted on 01/25/2024 9:08:57 PM PST by RandFan
Alabama has executed convicted murderer Kenneth Eugene Smith with nitrogen gas, the first time the method of capital punishment has been used in the US.
Smith, 58, lost two final appeals to the Supreme Court and one to a federal appeals court, arguing the execution was a cruel and unusual punishment.
In 2022, Alabama tried and failed to execute Smith by lethal injection.
He was convicted in 1989 of murdering a preacher's wife, Elizabeth Sennett, in a killing-for-hire.
According to the Death Penalty Information Center, Smith is the first person to be put to death using pure nitrogen gas anywhere in the world.
Five members of the media were transported by van to Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore to witness the execution.
"Tonight Alabama causes humanity to take a step backwards," Smith said, according to witnesses. "Thank you for supporting me. Love all of you."
After the gas began to flow into his mask, the inmate is said to have smiled, nodded toward his family and signed "I love you".
Witnesses observed two to four minutes of writhing and about five minutes of heavy breathing before he was pronounced dead at 20:25 local time (02:35 GMT).
Breathing nitrogen without oxygen causes cells in the body to break down and leads to death.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, who did not respond to a request to attend the execution, confirmed Smith's death in a statement.
"After more than 30 years and attempt after attempt to game the system, Mr Smith has answered for his horrendous crimes," she said.
"I pray that Elizabeth Sennett's family can receive closure after all these years dealing with that great loss."
Attorney General Steve Marshall said it had proved to be "an effective and humane method of execution", refuting the "dire predictions" of activists and the media.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Everybody cries for the murderer, but nobody gives a damn about the innocent victim.
We are proud of executing murderers. Mercy to criminals is injustice to their victims. Save your sanctimonious posturing for your fellow liberals. His victim lost everything she was and everything she would ever be in 1989. Her killer stayed around for another 40 years breathing, eating, thinking, and living while she rotted in the ground. People like you disgust me.
Breathing nitrogen is exactly like breathing normal air, CO2 isn’t.
“Breathing nitrogen without oxygen causes cells in the body to break down and leads to death.”
This is idiocy. Death is by simple asphyxiation.
I think Utah still drills perps by firing squad. Fairly rare but it happens.
Yep - they should have told him ‘on the count of three, we will begin’ and then turned the gas on immediately after ‘oneeeeee.......’.
AMEN.
>> Is this the same gas that was used on the Jews in WWII?
OMG YES!!! Every Jew in the world was made to breathe this horrible gas their entire life! Why, YOU are breathing it RIGHT NOW at 80% of full strength!
“...what if I’m wrongly convicted of murder, I could be put down by the state.”
Or, you could be murdered in the state you live in because criminals are not warned of the consequences of their a actions.
I'm with you.
What an asinine statement.
Why don’t they use the same medication that they use for assisted suicide?
1989? 35 YEARS?
Five minutes, maybe not but how long can you hold your breath and not pass out? death would take that long plus gasping for a while before passing out and then some time to die.
Is this the same gas that was used on the Jews in WWII?
—
No
Don’t be lazy look it up for yourself.
The Norks’ method of using an AA round is VERY quick (a millisecond from conscious and alert to not existing — far under the time it takes to perceive pain or anything else).
It’s a bit messy, however.
Good lord man! CO2 is a planet killer!! Don’t deprive the rest of us the few years we have left before climate change gets us all. Existential threat- I heard AOC say so!
Thank you.
Justice
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