Washington: First execution by nitrogen gas was carried out in the US. A White House spokesman told the media that this method of punishment, called nitrogen hypoxia, is cruel and extremely psychologically distressing. At the same time, Alabama state officials, who implemented the sentence, claim that this is the least painful and humane way of execution.
Nitrogen hypoxia is a method of execution strongly opposed by the United Nations and the European Union. However, State Attorney General Steve Marshall told the media on Friday that Alabama has decided to carry out 43 more executions using this method.
58-year-old Kenneth Smith, who was convicted of murdering a priest’s wife in 1989, was subjected to the new death penalty. Smith was to be executed by lethal injection in 2022, but the execution was postponed due to technical problems. Following this, it was decided to carry out the death penalty with nitrogen gas. The execution is carried out by inhaling nitrogen gas by the criminal.
The execution was carried out in a specially prepared room. The gas is passed through a special type of mask that is placed over the face of the criminal. Inhalation of this leads to loss of oxygen in the body and unconsciousness. Death will happen later. Smith was executed on Thursday. Officials say Smith tried to hold his breath as long as possible during the execution.
But soon the discomfort of shortness of breath began to show. It lasted for four minutes. Five minutes earlier, Smith had lost consciousness due to the disturbance. Authorities also testify that he succumbed to death soon after.
Although the defendant argued that this method of punishment is unconstitutional and cruel and if it fails, it will cause health problems, but the court rejected it. This form of punishment is legal in 27 of the 50 US states. Mississippi and Oklahoma also have legalized nitrogen executions, but have yet to implement them.