Alabama Executes Kenneth Smith With Nitrogen Gas (image-freepik)
Alabama, a US State, carried out the execution of a death row inmate by an untested method known as nitrogen hypoxia.
Kenneth Smith, 56 was pronounced dead at 8:25 pm on Thursday at Alabama prison after breathing pure nitrogen gas through a face mask to cause oxygen deprivation.
In 2022, Alabama failed to execute Smith by lethal injection and thus they chose him as a ‘guinea pig’ to test a method of execution never attempted before, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said, reports the Guardian.
Smith’s execution went ahead despite criticism from rights groups, some doctors and the jury for the case itself voted against the death penalty. He was one among the two men convicted for the murder of Elizebeth Sennett.
Smith and his aide, John Parker were convicted of the 1988 murder of Elizabeth Sennett for which they were each paid $1000 by Charles Sennet. Charles, the husband of Elizabeth, killed himself a week after her death.
Parker was executed by lethal injection in 2010. Smith after the failed attempt of execution, said to National Public Radio in December that he was “absolutely terrified” about his upcoming execution and was still suffering from “trauma” because of the previous failed attempt.
Few media members were allowed to witness the execution. During the execution process, a respiratory mask was placed over his face to pump nitrogen into his lungs. The process lasted for 22 minutes before he suffocated to death.
He “began writhing and thrashing for approximately two to four minutes, followed by around five minutes of heavy breathing,” media witnesses said.
Smith’s wife and other relatives were present at the time of execution. His last words were, “Tonight, Alabama caused humanity to take step backward”. “Thank you for supporting me. Love all of you,” he added.
Rights organizations including, the Death Penalty Information Center and the United Nations, have raised concerns regarding the way the state has chosen to execute Smith. Some organizations are also considering urging businesses and tourists to boycott Alabama over the execution.
