this post was submitted on 20 Jan 2024
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If Kenneth Eugene Smith is brought to the Alabama death chamber to face execution next week for his role in the 1988 murder-for-hire of a pastor's wife, the state plans to use an untested and untried method to end his life, suffocating him with a stream of nitrogen gas to be delivered through a face mask.

In a federal appeals court Friday, Smith's lawyers sought to block it, arguing that not only have Smith's constitutional rights been violated, but that he could be subjected to an agonizing death and that most of the details surrounding the state's new execution protocol "deserve more scrutiny."

The use of nitrogen gas will be a capital punishment first, even though it has not only been denounced by some medical professionals but also by veterinarians who oppose its use on animals. In 2020, the American Veterinary Medical Association advised against the use of nitrogen gas as a way to euthanize most mammals, calling it "distressing." One of the few uses of nitrogen gas in animal euthanasia is with chickens.

The United Nations' Office of The High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed alarm, saying in a statement that the untested method "could amount to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment under international human rights law."

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[–] Cogency@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

They aren't doing it willingly. The drug manufacturers are no longer supplying the cocktails for lethal injections and the medical field is refusing to take part in the act.

[–] derf82@lemmy.world -2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Yes, so they chose an alternative that is meant to be as painless as the old method.

[–] Cogency@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

They chose a mechanical non- biological method that could proceed without the medical community, again this isn't out of benevolence, they were forced to act less cruelly because their hands were forced by the medical community.

And the old method was often misadministered so it was often as painful as they could make it. Link I have no doubt someone will find a way to make suffocation painful. Even if the method on the books is painless. The cruelty is/ was/ and always has been the point.

[–] derf82@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

You do love straw men.

No, if they wanted to be cruel, they could bring back hanging, the firing squad, or the electric chair. This is better than those.

You are making accusations with zero proof.

[–] Cogency@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)
[–] derf82@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago (2 children)

That doesn’t support your allegation that it was deliberately made painful. Hell, your own link says Ohio postponed executions to reevaluate. You are adding malice solely on the bases your your opinion.

[–] Cogency@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

It was deliberately made painful by the reports of the survivors. They took what was a deliberately painless set of injections and would administer massive overdoses of the killing portion of the cocktail without administering the sedative portion. I don't want to remember how I know this. There were various reports of individual staff members overseeing the cases, included in how I've come to this conclusion.

[–] derf82@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

What survivors? The article is about finding from autopsies.

And even then, they have no knowledge of anyone’s motives.

[–] Cogency@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)
[–] derf82@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago (2 children)

They couldn’t find a vein. There is no evidence for your allegations.

And then shouldn’t you be happier with this new method? No need to find a vein.

[–] Cogency@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

How'd that execution turn out? Oh it took 22 minutes to die.

[–] Cogency@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

And I wonder why that is?
Could it be that no study is allowed on executions. I am talking about individual reports in the medical community . https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/facts-and-research/dpic-reports/in-depth/behind-the-curtain-secrecy-and-the-death-penalty-in-the-united-states

I am not happier with any method to execute someone because the cruelty was always the point, not rehabilitation and not deterrence.