this post was submitted on 22 Dec 2023

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160

Judge suggests change to nitrogen execution to let inmate pray and say final words without gas mask (apnews.com)

submitted 10 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

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A federal judge who is weighing whether to allow the nation’s first execution by nitrogen hypoxia to go forward next month, urged Alabama on Thursday to change procedures so the inmate can pray and say his final words before the gas mask is placed on his face.

U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker made the suggestion in a court order setting a Dec. 29 deadline to submit information before he rules on the inmate’s request to block the execution. The judge made similar comments the day prior at the conclusion of a court hearing.

Alabama is scheduled to execute Kenneth Eugene Smith on Jan. 25 in what would be the nation’s first execution using nitrogen gas. Nitrogen hypoxia is authorized as an execution method in Alabama, Mississippi and Oklahoma but has never been used to put an inmate to death.

The proposed execution method would use a gas mask, placed over Smith’s nose and mouth, to replace breathable air with nitrogen, causing Smith to die from lack of oxygen.

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[–] yesman@lemmy.world 78 points 10 months ago (2 children)

I think public executions where the prisoner is tortured to death are more progressive than supposed "humane" methods.

Not because I like cruelty or think they deserve it, but I want the State to do it's killing out in the open where citizens are exposed to what's happening in their name. Hiding the act behind closed doors and beneath a cloak of "humane" methods allows the State to exercise ultimate authority in secret from the people from whom that authority is derived. It's the State and the supporters of the death penalty that are being spared pain.

Yes, I got this from Foucault.

[–] Crack0n7uesday@lemmy.world 85 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (18 children)

You highly overestimate the amount of compassion the average person has. If you torture people to death in public people will sell tickets for the best seats. The Romans built a whole damn arena for this purpose.

[–] jwt@programming.dev 22 points 10 months ago

If anything, I think it would normalize killing (even more). But I guess I get where OP is coming from: Governments shouldn't get away with killing a human by claiming it's a humane act.

[–] yesman@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago

Yes! you're correct. It will be spectacle and celebration. We may revel in our cruelty, but we cannot feign mercy.

The question of capital punishment comes into focus. I don't trust in compassion; I'm advocating for honesty.

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[–] SCB@lemmy.world 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

What Foucalt gets wrong here is that historically, civilians just enjoy it. They don't find it barbaric or inhumane.

Like there wouldn't be some national conversation about "what have we become" - it'll just be a fun thing people do.

[–] YoFrodo@lemmy.world 24 points 10 months ago (1 children)

What if we stop executing people entirely?

[–] hOrni@lemmy.world 6 points 10 months ago (1 children)

No, that would be to moral. Unchristian even.

[–] WaxedWookie@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

Being executed is a pretty Christian thing to do - though I'm not sure nitrogen is du jour.

[–] Pat_Riot@lemmy.today 22 points 10 months ago (33 children)

So easy to build a sealed room. Why use a mask in the first place? Slowly exchange air for nitrogen and the prisoner dies saying his pointless prayer. Never even knows it happened. No suffering, no nothing. Just lights out. Then re exchange for air so the body can be safely collected. This is not rocket surgery.

[–] ASeriesOfPoorChoices@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago (10 children)

Why use a mask: because it's cheaper, and helps secure the people nearby (in case of a room leaking, that's a lot of displaced air, while a mask or similar leaking is significantly less of risk in case of uncontrolled release). But I bet mostly because it's cheaper - and remember, it's never been done before (by them, for this purpose).

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[–] Bipta@kbin.social 8 points 10 months ago

Because cruelty.

[–] BottleOfAlkahest@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

That sounds like the plan they have already just with an entire room rather than just a small mask. It's the same thing except your plan requires more gas and a bigger dedicated gas chamber with more failure points.

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[–] tygerprints@kbin.social 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

OK. I mean, if that's what the inmate is requesting, why not allow it. He's gonna be put to death anyway. Personally I don't believe his "praying" will be of any use, in this life or the next - if there is one- because I don't believe in that religious nonsense, or that someone can be "forgiven" for any crime involving murder anyway. But what's the skin off anybody's anus if he wants to be executed this way? That should at least be his decision to make.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 19 points 10 months ago (3 children)

But what’s the skin off anybody’s anus if he wants to be executed this way? That should at least be his decision to make.

The point is cruelty. People are objecting to execution by nitrogen because the prisoner doesn't suffer enough. That's the right-wing mentality in a nutshell. They think torturing someone doesn't make them bad people if that someone "deserves" it.

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[–] crystalmerchant@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

When was the country's most recent capital punishment before this one?

[–] Xanthrax@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

Crazy story: https://www.al.com/news/2022/11/former-sheriff-recalls-womans-horrific-murder-for-hire-by-pastor-as-alabama-prepares-execution.html

[–] Occamsrazer@lemdro.id 2 points 10 months ago

The only argument for the death penalty was back before long term prisons were available and someone was too dangerous to be released in society. The death penalty should be obsolete.

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