While many countries in the world have banned the death penalty for decades (some even centuries), in some states in the US it’s still a very common practice. Alabama, one of the states that still perform the practice, has made the news for using a new untested method for the first time: nitrogen hypoxia.
Currently, the state has 165 listed on death row, with some of them having expected their executions for decades. That was the case of Kenneth Eugene Smith, who was convicted in 1988 and yesterday became the first inmate to be executed with nitrogen hypoxia.
What Is Nitrogen Hypoxia?
This new execution method is meant to replace the lethal injection by using a respirator mask. The masks pass pure nitrogen gas directly to the lungs, depriving the person of oxygen. Allegedly, just within a few seconds, the person would lose consciousness and pass a couple of minutes later.
Nitrogen hypoxia hadn’t only been untested before yesterday, it’s also a made-up term that, according to anaesthesiologists, isn’t a real medical practice. The news of this new method fueled a debate in the country, with even Smith’s lawyers trying to cancel the execution listing possible things that could go bad and turning into torture instead of an execution.
However, Edmund LaCour, Alabama Solicitor General, shut the request claiming that nitrogen hypoxia might be “the most painless and humane method of execution known to man.” Despite the debate, the execution took place this Thursday, 25, early in the morning. According to reports, Smith only struggled for a couple of minutes after the hypoxia started. He passed 22 minutes later.
Why Was Kenneth Eugene Smith Convicted?
Kenneth Eugene Smith was one of the two men convicted for the murder of Elizabeth Sennet in 1988. According to the story, both men were hired by Sennet’s husband, Pastor Charles, to kill her because he needed the insurance money to pay for his debts.
Both men were convicted to the death penalty and awaited decades for their execution. Pastor Charles Sennet took his own life right when he became the prime suspect, so he was never sentenced. Kenneth’s partner in crime received the lethal injection in 2010 while Kenneth was scheduled for 2022.
Although Kenneth Eugene Smith always claimed he was present at the moment of the murder but had not taken part in it, the court found him guilty. In 2022, his execution failed and was called off at the very last minute. The medical personnel in charge of administering the shot struggled to insert the needle.
Smith’s legal team tried to prevent a second execution claiming this could be a psychological trauma for him, but the authorities came up with this new method instead. As it proved to be successful despite the controversy, it will likely become a common practice, at least in the state.
