Nitrogen as a Lethal Injection Alternative: Will Other States Emulate Alabama?

The innovative use of nitrogen gas in an execution by Alabama has generated attention around the country and may signal a change in the way the death sentence is applied in the US. 

Experts in capital punishment suggest that this method could follow the trajectory of lethal injection, which became prevalent over 40 years ago.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s announcement following Kenneth Eugene Smith’s execution, expressing readiness to assist other states in adopting nitrogen executions, indicates a potential trend. 

Already, prison officials in states like Oklahoma and Mississippi express keen interest in studying Alabama’s approach, with some considering implementation.

Smith’s execution, involving a face mask administering pure nitrogen to induce hypoxia, garnered attention as he experienced involuntary movements before succumbing. Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Q. Hamm affirmed the procedure’s adherence to expectations.

Nitrogen Gas in Execution Exploration

Oklahoma officials, including Director Steven Harpe and Chief of Staff Justin Farris, visited Alabama to observe the execution equipment and protocols. This scrutiny underscores the national interest in this evolving method.

The United States has a history of adopting new execution methods, with electrocution, gas chambers, and lethal injection preceding nitrogen gas. Austin Sarat, a law professor, contextualizes this evolution within a quest for a humane yet effective means of execution.

Nitrogen gas’s consideration arose after a botched 2014 lethal injection in Oklahoma, revealing ongoing challenges in executing death sentences. However, as support for capital punishment wanes and logistical hurdles persist, the broader context suggests a shifting landscape regarding the death penalty’s use and acceptance.

Ryan Kiesel, a former legislator and civil rights attorney, challenges the notion of pursuing more palatable execution methods, urging a reckoning with the inherent violence of capital punishment.

The exploration of nitrogen gas as an execution method reflects deeper questions about the ethics and practicality of the death penalty in modern society, highlighting ongoing debates surrounding its use and potential alternatives.