.ON JANUARY 25TH Kenneth Eugene Smith became the 1st person anywhere to be executed by nitrogen hypoxia. He was convicted in 1989 of slaughtering Elizabeth Sennett, the wife of a preacher from Alabama, on her partner’s orders. The state had initial tried to execute him, through fatal shot, in November 2022, but messed up the operation.
Afterwards, Mr Smith chose to become killed through unfamiliar ways. His punishment has actually triggered shock: Alabama states nitrogen hypoxia is a fast, painless death yet many clinical experts differ. Some have compared it to torture.
Why did Alabama authorise this untested approach?