Alabama executes man by nitrogen gas in the U.S.(npr.org)
npr.org
Alabama executes man by nitrogen gas in the U.S.
https://www.npr.org/2024/01/25/1226936713/alabama-execution-kenneth-smith
3 comments
During lunch today my coworkers and I were discussing it because it seemed like a weird choice: nitrogen. But after reading the story, I guess I can understand. It's fairly innocuous, effective, and I guess, all things considered, fairly humane.
The article reads to me like nobody involved understands that we're bathed in nitrogen all the time. I get O2 sensors, but going on about it possibly leaking around the mask, and signing a waiver, and pooling... Give anyone in the vicinity a cannula hooked to an O2 bottle and all fears solved, right?
Reminds me of this time I was out with a couple friends for a beer. One asked me what "on Nitro means, is that like nitrous oxide?" I told her "I don't think so, I think it means nitrogen. You know, that stuff you're breathing?" "You mean oxygen?" "Air is mostly nitrogen, only a little oxygen." <to my other friend> "Did you know this?!?" She nods.
The article reads to me like nobody involved understands that we're bathed in nitrogen all the time. I get O2 sensors, but going on about it possibly leaking around the mask, and signing a waiver, and pooling... Give anyone in the vicinity a cannula hooked to an O2 bottle and all fears solved, right?
Reminds me of this time I was out with a couple friends for a beer. One asked me what "on Nitro means, is that like nitrous oxide?" I told her "I don't think so, I think it means nitrogen. You know, that stuff you're breathing?" "You mean oxygen?" "Air is mostly nitrogen, only a little oxygen." <to my other friend> "Did you know this?!?" She nods.
Seems like the best method to achieve execution even if still unethical
This seems unusual. And cruel.
From The Guardian article:
> Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who along with two other liberal justices dissented, wrote: “Having failed to kill Smith on its first attempt, Alabama has selected him as its ‘guinea pig’ to test a method of execution never attempted before. The world is watching.”
I guess no subsequent inmates can now use the argument that it is 'untested'...
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/25/alabama-exec...