In a significant departure from traditional execution methods, the state of Alabama executed death row inmate Kenneth Smith using nitrogen gas last night. This marked the first time this novel method had been utilized in the United States, garnering international attention and sparking concerns about the potential for cruel and inhumane treatment.
The execution took place in the town of Atmore, where media coverage had been ongoing in the lead-up to the event. Smith's last-minute plea to the Supreme Court on Eighth Amendment grounds ultimately went unanswered, and the execution proceeded as planned. Prior to the execution, Smith delivered his last words, expressing his belief that the use of nitrogen gas would set humanity back.
