Method

Federal Judge Clears Way for Alabama’s Fourth Execution Using Controversial Nitrogen Gas Method Despite Claims of Cruelty

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A federal judge in Alabama has ruled against halting the use of nitrogen gas in executions, allowing the state to proceed with what would be its fourth such execution. The decision comes despite challenges from condemned inmate Demetrius Frazier, who argued that the method inflicts psychological pain and constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. Chief District Judge Emily C. Marks determined on Friday that Frazier did not meet the stringent legal requirements necessary for a preliminary injunction. Frazier had requested the court to either prohibit the state from using nitrogen gas or to … Read more

South Carolina Death Row Inmate Defers Execution Method Choice to Attorney

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Columbia, SC – In a groundbreaking legal procedure, a South Carolina inmate convicted of a double homicide in 2002 has handed over the decision on his method of execution to his attorney. The prisoner’s unprecedented step underscores the complexities faced by death row inmates as states grapple with legal and ethical challenges surrounding capital punishment methods. The inmate, who was sentenced to death for the murder of his girlfriend and her daughter, had the choice between the electric chair and a newly instituted firing squad, established as alternatives due to the unavailability of drugs for … Read more

Deadline Approaches: Inmate’s Legal Representative to Select Method of Execution, Orders SC Supreme Court

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Columbia, SC – The South Carolina Supreme Court has passed a ruling requiring the legal representative of a death row inmate to choose the method of execution by the end of the week. This decision underscores a broader debate on the methods of capital punishment used in the state, and it coincides with renewed scrutiny on how executions are conducted nationwide. The case centers on Richard Bernard Moore, a 57-year-old who was sentenced to death over two decades ago for the murder of a convenience store clerk during a robbery in Spartanburg County. Moore has … Read more

Alabama Set to Execute Inmate Using Controversial Nitrogen Gas Method, Ignites Debate

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Montgomery, Alabama – A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that Alabama will be permitted to use nitrogen gas as a method of execution later this month. If carried out, it would be the first execution in the United States using this new method, which critics argue is cruel and experimental. Inmate Kenneth Eugene Smith had requested a preliminary injunction to stop his scheduled execution on January 25th, but the judge rejected the motion. Smith’s lawyers claim that Alabama is using him as a “test subject” for an untried execution method after he survived a previous … Read more