Alabama inmate was executed on January 25 by nitrogen hypoxia, marking the United States’ first execution using the method.
- It was also the first time in over four decades that a new method of execution was introduced in the US, since lethal injection was first used in 1982.
Key points
- Around half of US states still have death penalty laws. Execution methods vary, but some states still allow execution by hanging, firing squad or the electric chair.
- In recent decades, most of the US states have converged on lethal injection as the main execution method. Texas was the first state to execute a convicted criminal with lethal injection, in 1982. The lethal method is the administration of intravenous drugs that sedate and kill the convict.
About Nitrogen hypoxia
- Nitrogen hypoxia is a method of execution where a respirator mask is placed over the inmate’s face, and their breathing air is replaced with pure nitrogen gas.
- This deprives the individual of oxygen, leading to unconsciousness in a few seconds, and ultimately causing death in several minutes.
- We breathe nitrogen all the time. In fact, the colourless and odourless gas makes up up 78 per cent of the air inhaled by humans. Clearly, the gas itself is harmless.
- But what this execution does is force the inmate to breathe in pure nitrogen and nothing else. This deprives the body of oxygen needed to maintain bodily functions and ultimately causes death.
