Alabama executed Kenneth Eugene Smith, 58, with nitrogen gas, a first-of-its-kind method, marking a shift in the capital punishment debate.
Smith was convicted of a 1988 murder-for-hire. The execution faced legal challenges, with critics calling it cruel and experimental. The majority of Supreme Court justices rejected Smith’s bid to block it. Concerns were raised about the untested method’s potential violation of constitutional rights.
Smith’s attorneys argued for more scrutiny. Some experts and organizations condemned the method, while the Vatican-affiliated Sant’Egidio Community urged against it. Nitrogen hypoxia is sought as an alternative due to challenges in obtaining lethal injection drugs.
