Official describes untested ‘nitrogen hypoxia’ execution of Kenneth Smith

At 7:53 central time tonight state of Alabama started carrying out the execution of kenth Eugene Smith by nitrogen epoxy at the m Kim uh appeared that one Smith was holding his breath as long as he could and then uh there’s also information out there uh he struggled against his

Restraints a little bit but there’s some involuntary movement and some agonal breathing so uh that was all expected and it’s in the U side effects that we’ve seen or researched on nitrogen epox so nothing was out of the ordinary what we were expecting you think it was involuntary

Yes I think that’s an important what we saw was minutes of someone struggling for their life and we also saw correction correction officials in the room who were visibly surprised at how bad this thing went it’s kind of a Bittersweet day we’re not going to be jumping around

Hooping and hollering hooray and all that that’s that’s not us but uh we’re glad this day is over Kenneth Smith made a lengthy final statement it began with tonight Alabama caused Humanity to take a step backward he continued saying I’m leaving with love peace and light thank you for supporting me love

All of you

Alabama has carried out the first execution of a death row inmate in the US using nitrogen gas, an untested procedure that has been criticised by lawyers and activists.
Kenneth Smith, 58, was pronounced dead at 8.25pm on Thursday at the Holman correctional facility in Atmore, Alabama, after breathing pure nitrogen gas through a face mask to cause oxygen deprivation.

Officials had claimed that the new method was “perhaps the most humane method of execution ever devised”, but statements given by reporters present in the death chamber suggested otherwise.
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37 comments

  4. In 2019, the US had 22 cases of capital punishment, while China 🇨🇳 had more than 1,000.
    – and the Chinese regime has advertised that China was a "very safe" country. Lol

  8. The guy says that it’s over.. how is it over ?! You’re still in pain from your loss. Is it really over.. the guy is dead and it didn’t change anything

  11. It's boggles my mind that a "Christian nation" like the US still supports this barbaric punishment, that is otherwise found in countries where human rights devalued or suppressed…

  14. Actually, it is a painless death. Nitrogen hypoxia has taken place in chemical industry, people affected (who were rescued) didn't know what happened, they passed out immediately. As death penalties go, this is as merciful as can be. I'd say that it is a lot more merciful than a life sentence where the guy would be confined to a little cell for the next 30 years.

  16. I mean a life for a life and all, I completely agree with that. But untested methods for executions… I don't agree with that. Does that make me a hypocrite?
    It's amazing how one paragraph can mean so many things.

  17. Let's be honest you can really complain if a person is having a death sentence for horrible events for that same person to suffer on there last moments. Did they do the same…. nope.

  20. Shame on these southern states. This method is MEDIEVAL and cruel. i cannot believe they'd do this to anyone. disgusting. what is wrong with humanity. the people who executed him are no better than him. possibly worse. they SUFFOCATED him!!!!!

  33. Just because it hasn’t been used for executions before doesn’t mean it is untested as a means of ending life.

    Of course he struggled. He didn’t want to die. That’s got nothing to do with the method of the execution.

    If you accept the death penalty, there is no reason to be opposed to this particular method. If you’re only opposing this particular method because you oppose the death penalty, just be honest about why you are speaking out.

  36. People you need to stop saying they put him through pain. That's literally impossible. At most, he was in destressed. Pain is when your nerves get damaged in some form. All his brain did was pump a bunch of cortisol into his body, which is the hormone for stress. If he didn't hold his breath, he wouldnt have felt a thing, but he did that to himself. There's a reason why he freaked out the first 2 minutes cause by holding his breath, he built up a bunch of carbon dioxide in his body, which is the only thing that tells your body you're not breathing. It would have been a solid 5-10 minutes of him heavily breathing if he didn't do such. This happens all the time in the deep parts of ships where there is little to no air. You dont feel a thing you just slip out of consciousness. Also, literally think about what you say before you defend a hired hit man.😂

  37. EMPHYSEMIA MADE MY DAD SUFFOCATE TO DEATH & STRUGGLE TO BREATHE FOR DAYS, ZERO MEDICAL HELP. YOU NEVER RECOVER FROM WITNESSING THE HORROR OF SEEING SOMEONE SUFFOCATE TO DEATH. THE HORROR OF WITNESSING THE STRUGGLE FOR AIR…NEVER LEAVES YOU..😢

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