THE BUZZ!
Alabama inmate opposes being ‘test subject’ for new nitrogen execution method
First up,
A new state execution method is ready, but this inmate refuses to be the first to use it.
Nitrogen hypoxia is a new and untested execution method that Alabama wants to use on this death row inmate. The inmate’s lawyers are arguing that this is cruel and unusual punishment, and that the state is trying to use him as a test subject.
Nitrogen hypoxia is a method of execution that would involve replacing the oxygen in an inmate’s lungs with nitrogen. This would deprive the inmate of oxygen and cause them to die. The method has never been used to execute an inmate before, and there is no guarantee that it is painless or humane.
His lawyers argue that the state is trying to execute him quickly to avoid his ongoing appeals of his lethal injection conviction. In 2022, Alabama tried to execute Smith with lethal injection, but the execution was botched.
The case is now before the Alabama Supreme Court, which will decide if the state can use nitrogen hypoxia to execute him. If so, he will be the first execution with this method.
Now serving number one.
Source: AP News
