Alan Eugene Miller, convicted of the 1999 killings of three men, was executed in Alabama using nitrogen hypoxia, becoming the second inmate to undergo this controversial method. The execution took place at a prison in Atmore, where Miller was pronounced dead at 6:38 p.m. State officials confirmed that Miller experienced shaking and trembling on the gurney for about two minutes, followed by gasping breaths for approximately six minutes.
Miller, who had requested death by nitrogen hypoxia, was fitted with a mask during the procedure, which lasted about 15 minutes. Despite some involuntary body movements, officials stated that the execution went according to plan and protocol.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey expressed that justice was served for the victims of Miller's heinous crimes. Miller's execution followed a series of legal challenges regarding the use of nitrogen hypoxia as the method of execution.
The nitrogen hypoxia process involves depriving the inmate of oxygen by inhaling 100% nitrogen gas. While proponents argue it leads to a more humane death, critics, including United Nations experts, have condemned it as a form of torture.
Miller's case highlighted the ongoing debate surrounding the use of nitrogen hypoxia in executions. Despite the settlement of a federal lawsuit challenging the protocol, concerns remain about the potential for suffering during the process.
Alabama's use of nitrogen hypoxia has sparked international scrutiny, with experts questioning the effectiveness and ethics of this method. Other states, including Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Mississippi, have also authorized death by nitrogen hypoxia, raising further concerns about its implications for capital punishment.
Miller's execution marks a significant development in the ongoing discourse on lethal injection alternatives and the ethical considerations surrounding execution methods.
