Kenneth Smith ‘struggled for life’ for 22 minutes in Alabama nitrogen gas execution: Updates

Alabama death row inmate Kenneth Eugene Smith became the first person in American history to be executed with nitrogen gas.

UN human rights experts and lawyers for Smith had sought to prevent it, saying the method was risky, experimental and could lead to a torturous death or non-fatal injury.

The state has called its new protocol “the most painless and humane method of execution known to man”. Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for the UN Human Rights office, said: “This could amount to torture or other cruel or degrading treatment or punishment under international human rights law.”

“Nitrogen gas has never been used in the United States to execute human beings.”

Lawmakers in Oklahoma and Mississippi have also approved similar nitrogen-asphyxiation execution protocols in recent years, but have yet to put them into practice.

“They said lethal injection was humane – that was a lie. They’ll claim this execution was humane, and that is a lie, too,” said Maya Foa, the US director of Reprieve.

“The whole purpose of these methods is to hide pain. How many more prisoners must die agonizing deaths before we see executions for what they really are: the state violently taking a human life?”

Kenneth Smith was visited in prison by his wife and sons, who also witnessed his execution by nitrogen on Thursday. His last meal was steak, eggs and hash browns.

Michelle Del Rey with more details here.

Advertisements

Kenneth Smith was visited in prison by his wife and sons, who also witnessed his execution. His last meal was steak, eggs and hash browns.

Michelle Del Rey with more details here.

Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights office voiced concerns, stating that the organisation had “serious concerns” over the proposed execution.

“We are alarmed by the imminent execution in the United States of America of Kenneth Eugene Smith, through the novel and untested method – suffocation by nitrogen gas,” Ms Shamdasani said at a press conference.

“This could amount to torture or other cruel or degrading treatment or punishment under international human rights law. Nitrogen gas has never been used in the United States to execute human beings.”

Alabama death row inmate Kenneth Eugene Smith in his final statement said humanity took a step backwards in Alabama.

“Tonight Alabama causes humanity to take a step backwards. … I’m leaving with love, peace and light,” he said.

He made the “I love you sign” with his hands toward family members who were witnesses. “Thank you for supporting me. Love, love all of you,” Smith said.

Kenneth Eugene Smith was a member of strange and horrific club: people Alabama has attempted to execute, but failed to do so in time. Its membership grew last year, with the state failing on two separate attempts to successfully complete a death sentence.

Mike Sennett, the son of Elizabeth Dorlene Sennett, said late on Thursday night that Kenneth Smith “had been incarcerated almost twice as long as I knew my mom.”

“Nothing happened here today is going to bring mom back. It’s kind of a bittersweet day. We are not going to be jumping around, whooping and holler, hooray and all that. … I’ll end by saying Elizabeth Dorlene Sennett got her justice tonight,” he said.

Authorities in Alabama have come up with a grim and as-yet untested alternative to lethal injection and electric chair – being gassed to death with pure nitrogen, a reputedly ‘painless’ procedure that slowly starves the criminal of oxygen until they die.

But would you use it to put down a sickly pet, asks Sean O’Grady.