Alabama is set to carry out its first execution using nitrogen gas, a method that has never been employed before in the United States. The inmate in question, Kenneth Smith, was convicted of a murder for hire in 1988. In November, his initial lethal injection was halted due to issues with the IV line. As a result, Smith requested death by nitrogen gas, a request that has been approved by the Supreme Court.
However, the use of this new method has raised concerns among UN experts who fear that it could result in a painful and degrading death for Smith. The UN panel released a statement expressing regret over the continued pursuit of executions in the US and specifically highlighted the potential problems with this untested method.
