LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – After Alabama’s first execution using nitrogen gas last January, the attorney general encouraged other states to try this method, and now some are starting to act. For instance, Louisiana plans to execute a man using nitrogen gas on March 18, and Arkansas lawmakers are considering it too after a long break from executions.
Nitrogen gas is seen as a way for states to continue carrying out death sentences because they are running low on the drugs used for lethal injections. However, there are many arguments about whether this method is right, especially because of what some inmates experienced during their executions.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall believes nitrogen hypoxia is a humane way to execute someone. But critics, like Rev. Jeff Hood, who saw the first nitrogen execution in Alabama, think it’s cruel.
How does nitrogen execution work?
In this method, an inmate breathes pure nitrogen gas, which takes away the oxygen they need. In Alabama, the person is strapped to a gurney and wears a gas mask, with nitrogen being pumped in for several minutes after their heart stops.
What happened in Alabama’s executions?
Alabama has carried out four nitrogen executions. People in the room reported that the inmates seemed to shake and gasp during the process. A doctor observing inmate Alan Miller said it looked painful, comparing it to waterboarding. State officials, however, say these movements are normal reactions to lack of oxygen.
Louisiana’s plans to use nitrogen
Louisiana plans to use a gas mask for the execution of Jessie Hoffman on March 18. If this goes through, it will be the second state to use nitrogen gas for executions after Alabama. Hoffman’s lawyers argue that he is being used as a test case for this new method.
Louisiana’s Attorney General Liz Murrill mentioned that they expect to carry out multiple executions this year in order to provide justice for the victims’ families.
Arkansas lawmakers consider nitrogen execution
In Arkansas, lawmakers recently approved a bill to allow nitrogen gas for executions. Supporters believe this will help the state resume executions, as they haven’t killed anyone since 2017. The bill passed with many votes and needs Senate approval, with some lawmakers pushing for it after hearing from victims’ families.
Many drug companies do not want their products used in lethal injections, which is why there’s a push for alternatives like nitrogen. Arkansas has 25 inmates on death row, but Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders hasn’t stated her plans regarding the new legislation yet.
Experts are concerned about the secrecy surrounding these executions, questioning why states are moving to this “experimental” method. Legal challenges are expected in Arkansas, especially after the issues faced in Alabama executions.
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