Alabama carries out second execution using disputed gassing technique
Alan Eugene Miller was executed using nitrogen hypoxia, a method that some critics have described as akin to torture. Read Full Article at RT.com.
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Alan Eugene Miller has been executed by nitrogen hypoxia, a method that some critics argue is comparable to torture.
The execution took place in Alabama, marking the second instance of this controversial procedure, which replaces oxygen with 100% nitrogen for the inmate. Proponents of nitrogen hypoxia contend that the individual is likely to lose consciousness quickly, making it a more humane alternative to other execution methods. However, some experts have voiced concerns that this method could cause significant pain and suffering, as it is difficult to determine when a person actually loses consciousness when exposed to pure nitrogen.
On Thursday, Alabama Department of Corrections commissioner John Hamm announced during a news conference that the execution of 59-year-old Alan Eugene Miller took place, with him being pronounced dead at 6:38 p.m. local time at Atmore prison.
An Associated Press reporter who witnessed the execution noted that Miller “shook and trembled on the gurney for about two minutes with his body at times pulling against the restraints. This was followed by about six minutes of periodic gulping breaths before he became still.”
In his final statement, Miller reportedly stated that he “didn’t do anything to be in here” and urged his family and friends to “take care” of someone.
Hamm confirmed the two minutes of shaking and explained that involuntary movements can occur as the body loses oxygen. “That is nothing we did not expect,” he said, reiterating that “everything went according to plan and according to our protocol.”
Miller was convicted for the 1999 killing of three men in a workplace shooting. In 2022, he requested execution via nitrogen hypoxia, a request that was initially denied. He was scheduled for lethal injection in September 2022, but that attempt was aborted due to difficulties in accessing his veins.
Eventually, the state approved the use of nitrogen hypoxia for his execution, but Miller contested the method following its first application in January, which resulted in the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith. Witnesses reported seeing Smith shaking and writhing on the gurney for an extended period prior to his death.
Miller subsequently filed a federal lawsuit challenging Alabama's nitrogen hypoxia protocol, arguing that it would subject him to undue suffering. While the lawsuit was settled last month, the specific terms remain confidential.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
The execution took place in Alabama, marking the second instance of this controversial procedure, which replaces oxygen with 100% nitrogen for the inmate. Proponents of nitrogen hypoxia contend that the individual is likely to lose consciousness quickly, making it a more humane alternative to other execution methods. However, some experts have voiced concerns that this method could cause significant pain and suffering, as it is difficult to determine when a person actually loses consciousness when exposed to pure nitrogen.
On Thursday, Alabama Department of Corrections commissioner John Hamm announced during a news conference that the execution of 59-year-old Alan Eugene Miller took place, with him being pronounced dead at 6:38 p.m. local time at Atmore prison.
An Associated Press reporter who witnessed the execution noted that Miller “shook and trembled on the gurney for about two minutes with his body at times pulling against the restraints. This was followed by about six minutes of periodic gulping breaths before he became still.”
In his final statement, Miller reportedly stated that he “didn’t do anything to be in here” and urged his family and friends to “take care” of someone.
Hamm confirmed the two minutes of shaking and explained that involuntary movements can occur as the body loses oxygen. “That is nothing we did not expect,” he said, reiterating that “everything went according to plan and according to our protocol.”
Miller was convicted for the 1999 killing of three men in a workplace shooting. In 2022, he requested execution via nitrogen hypoxia, a request that was initially denied. He was scheduled for lethal injection in September 2022, but that attempt was aborted due to difficulties in accessing his veins.
Eventually, the state approved the use of nitrogen hypoxia for his execution, but Miller contested the method following its first application in January, which resulted in the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith. Witnesses reported seeing Smith shaking and writhing on the gurney for an extended period prior to his death.
Miller subsequently filed a federal lawsuit challenging Alabama's nitrogen hypoxia protocol, arguing that it would subject him to undue suffering. While the lawsuit was settled last month, the specific terms remain confidential.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
