Alabama’s Supreme Court is being petitioned to set a date for the execution of death row inmate Alan Eugene Miller. The method of choice is Nitrogen hypoxia. This request marks a pivotal moment following the recent execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith via the same method, making it the first instance of nitrogen hypoxia being utilized in the United States for capital punishment.
The journey towards this decision has been fraught with twists and turns, with both Smith and Miller originally slated for lethal injection, only to encounter obstacles that led to a shift in execution protocol.
Miller’s path to this juncture has been particularly tumultuous. Initially scheduled for execution in September 2022, the process was abruptly halted due to logistical challenges.
Subsequently, a federal lawsuit brought to light the harrowing experience Miller endured during the botched attempt, where he described an ordeal of needle pricks and physical contortions on the gurney.
Following a series of legal maneuvers, Alabama’s highest court mandated that Miller’s fate be decided by nitrogen hypoxia, a decision met with both acceptance and resistance from the state’s correctional authorities.
Nitrogen hypoxia: Impact
Miller’s case dates back to a tragic workplace rampage in suburban Birmingham in 1999, resulting in the loss of multiple lives. Now 59, he stands as a symbol of the state’s complex relationship with capital punishment.
Alabama’s embrace of nitrogen hypoxia places it alongside only two other states, Oklahoma and Mississippi, in adopting this unconventional approach to executions.
Yet, despite proponents’ arguments for its efficiency and humanity, critics have raised concerns over its experimental nature and potential for unnecessary suffering.
International scrutiny, including from United Nations experts, underscores the contentious nature of this shift in execution methodology, leaving many questioning the ethical implications of its application within the state’s chambers of justice.
Cover Photo: Depositphotos
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