ATMORE, Alabama – After enduring a 22-minute ordeal inside the execution chamber at the William C. Holman prison in Atmore, convicted killer Kenneth Eugene Smith, 58, was put to death through nitrogen hypoxia. This marked the first execution of its kind in the United States. Despite the historic nature of the execution, it left many observers in shock as Smith thrashed against his restraints, prompting claims that it was an excruciating and inhumane way to die.
Smith, who was sentenced to death in 1996 for the murder-for-hire slaying of a preacher’s wife in 1988, was pronounced dead at 8:25 pm local time. His death was witnessed by few individuals, including his wife, Deanna Smith, and his spiritual guide, Jeff Hood, who described the execution as a horrifying sight, claiming that Smith struggled in his last moments far longer than anticipated.
The use of nitrogen gas for the execution was an unprecedented move that divided opinions, with Alabama officials praising it as a step forward for safe death row justice, while human rights organizations and prison reform advocates condemned the method. The untested nature of the execution and the inhumane suffering endured by Smith sparked outrage and controversy in the weeks leading up to the planned execution.
The decision to use nitrogen gas for Smith’s execution stemmed from the widespread struggles American prisons have faced in obtaining lethal injection drugs in recent years. While some view this as a potential solution, others argue that it only serves to further obscure the violence of state-sanctioned executions.
Despite the contentious nature of his death, Governor Kay Ivey praised the execution as a means of delivering justice for Smith’s crime. Yet, it has reignited debates around the methods of execution and the ethics of capital punishment in the United States. Nonetheless, the use of nitrogen gas as a method of execution has initiated a new chapter in the ongoing discourse surrounding America’s death penalty.