A Look at Alabama's Controversial Execution Method

Alabama is set to use nitrogen gas to execute a death row inmate, a method that has sparked intense debate. The state's plan to execute Anthony Boyd this way has drawn criticism from the U. S. Supreme Court's liberal justices, who argue that this form of execution is cruel and unusual. They described the process in vivid detail, highlighting the suffering it causes. Boyd, who has spent 30 years on death row for his role in a 1993 murder, had requested to be executed by firing squad instead. Support for the death penalty in the U. S. has been declining, with only about 53% of people in favor, according to a recent poll. Currently, 27 states allow capital punishment, and four of them—Alabama, Texas, Missouri, and Oklahoma—carried out most of the country's executions last year. The Supreme Court's conservative majority did not explain why they rejected Boyd's petition. A district judge had earlier dismissed his challenge, stating that psychological and emotional pain are inevitable in any execution method. Boyd maintains his innocence and was charged alongside three others for the 1993 killing of Gregory Huguley. Alabama has previously botched executions, leading them to adopt nitrogen gas as a simpler alternative to lethal injections. However, witnesses reported that the first execution using this method was far from smooth. The inmate convulsed, gasped for air, and thrashed violently before dying. The liberal justices argue that this method causes intense suffering and that Boyd's request for a firing squad should have been granted.