For the First Time in History, a Prisoner in the US Will Be Executed Using Nitrogen

For the first time in history, the United States will execute a prisoner using nitrogen gas. This was reported by RTVI, citing NBC News. The Alabama court has announced that the execution of the inmate will take place on January 25, 2024. It is noted that 58-year-old Kenneth Eugene Smith will be subject to execution using nitrogen.

In 1988, Kenneth Eugene Smith was convicted of murdering his wife, a crime orchestrated by the victim's husband, Charles Sennett Sr., to collect insurance and pay off debts. The convict and his defense have attempted to obtain a stay of execution, but the court has denied their request.

This method of execution will allow the inmate to breathe only nitrogen, depriving him of oxygen. This method is legal in Alabama, Oklahoma, and Mississippi, but has never been implemented. Alabama legalized such executions in 2018 due to a shortage of drugs previously used for lethal injections. Proponents of the new method believe it will be painless.

In 2020, the US Department of Justice changed the regulations for carrying out the death penalty at the federal level, allowing firing squads, gas chambers, and electric chairs.