The convicted murderer Kenneth Eugene Smith became the first man in the United States to be executed using nitrogen gas. The execution, which took place at Alabama’s Holman Prison, deviated from the traditional lethal injection method and sparked condemnation from human rights activists, and the United Nations.
The 58-year-old Smith, who spent over three decades on death row for the 1988 murder-for-hire of a pastor’s wife, faced a 22-minute execution that drew criticism for its apparent brutality.
Witnesses, including his spiritual advisor Reverend Jeff Hood, described the scene as a “horror show.” Hood said that even prison staff couldn’t conceal their shock at the distressing display, with audible gasps from onlookers as Smith struggled to breathe.
US Nitrogen Gas execution: What happened?
Reverend Hood recounted the prison authorities’ assurances that the nitrogen hypoxia execution would be nearly instantaneous, quick, easy, and painless.
But when the reality unfolded quite differently. “What we saw last night was minutes, minutes, and minutes of a horror show,” Hood was quoted as saying by the New York Post.
Also watch | US: Alabama, third US state to authorise use of nitrogen for execution
Smith’s contorted movements during the execution were likened to a “fish out of water, flapping over and over again,” creating a lasting impact on those who witnessed the event.
The White House expressed deep concern over the execution, stating it was “deeply troubled” by the unfolding events.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk, the European Union, and various civil liberties groups also raised alarms about the method employed in Smith’s execution, referring to it as an “untested human experiment.”
The nitrogen hypoxia execution marks a significant departure from the conventional lethal injection method, forcing the prisoner to breathe nitrogen instead of oxygen through a respirator mask.
What is the bottomline?
The international community’s condemnation suggests that the execution method will likely face further scrutiny, reigniting the ongoing debate surrounding the ethics of capital punishment in the United States.
(With inputs from agencies)
