An Alabama inmate would be the test subject for the “experimental” execution method of nitrogen hypoxia, his lawyers argued, as they asked judges to deny the state’s request to carry out his death sentence using the new method.

In a Friday court filing, attorneys for Kenneth Eugene Smith asked the Alabama Supreme Court to reject the state attorney general’s request to set an execution date for Smith using the proposed new execution method. Nitrogen gas is authorized as an execution method in three states but it has never been used to put an inmate to death.

Smith’s attorneys argued the state has disclosed little information about how nitrogen executions would work, releasing only a redacted copy of the proposed protocol.

  • SeaJ
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    701 year ago

    We should not be executing anyone. Hypoxia is well documented so he would not exactly be a test subject.

    • @[email protected]
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      421 year ago

      Note: if I were to commit medically induced suicide it would be by nitrogen hypoxia. By alla counts it is the best way to go.

    • @PyroNeurosis
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      311 year ago

      The test is not of the efficacy of hypoxia, but of the state’s competency.

      • SeaJ
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        131 year ago

        Going to guess it is significantly easier to be competent enough to kill someone with hypoxia rather than a cocktail of multiple constantly changing drugs administered by someone who had little training.