Catholic leaders spoke out against Alabama’s Jan. 25 execution of death row inmate Kenneth Smith by nitrogen gas, which was the first time this method was used in the United States.
Elizabeth Sennett
Supreme Court OKs Alabama’s First-Ever Nitrogen Gas Execution Decried By Faith Leaders
The Supreme Court Jan. 24 rejected an appeal by death-row inmate Kenneth Smith, whose planned execution by the state of Alabama — the first known execution by nitrogen gas — was openly decried by more than 100 Alabama faith leaders just days earlier.
Alabama Gets Federal Judge’s OK for First U.S. Execution Using Nitrogen Gas
A federal judge ruled Jan. 10 that Alabama can execute a death row inmate with nitrogen gas in late January, which would make it the country’s first execution using this method that has been described by the inmate’s attorneys and a United Nations report as cruel and experimental.