In Alabama, for the first time, a prisoner was executed using pure nitrogen for the contract killing of a woman
The nitrogen execution method was used for the first time in the United States. 58-year-old convict Kenneth Eugene Smith was executed in Alabama. This was reported by the prosecutor's office.
Previously, a standard lethal injection failed due to the fact that the needle could not be inserted into a vein.
To carry out the execution using nitrogen, a mask was put on the immobilized Smith , through which pure nitrogen was supplied. This gas displaces oxygen, causing hypoxia and death.
Alabama has allowed the use of pure nitrogen for executions since 2018 due to a shortage of lethal injection drugs.
However, experts point to possible problems with this method, such as seizures and choking on your own vomit. Authorities say the method is similar to euthanasia methods used around the world.
But Smith's lawyers argued that authorities do not have the necessary equipment to carry out an execution in this manner and that the oversized mask would allow enough oxygen to pass through. which will lead to suffering for the convicted person.