Kenneth Eugene Smith, a 58-year-old convicted murderer in Alabama, made history as the first individual in the United States to undergo execution via nitrogen gas, a contentious method criticized by both the White House and the United Nations.
Reverend Jeff Hood, who served as Smith's spiritual advisor and was present during the execution to administer his last rites before the mask was affixed to his face, vividly described the distressing scene. He recounted that Smith appeared to be struggling and convulsing, likening his movements to someone grappling for air as if a plastic bag had been placed over their head. Hood's observation, shared with NBC News, depicted Smith's unsettling demeanor, evoking the image of a fish floundering out of its element.
Despite assurances from authorities that Smith would swiftly lose consciousness due to the nitrogen, Hood remarked that this outcome never materialized. Instead, he witnessed Smith's prolonged and agonizing reaction, contrary to the anticipated instantaneous effect claimed by officials.
Lee Hedgepeth, a journalist present at the WC Holman Correctional Facility during the execution, echoed Hood's sentiments, describing the harrowing spectacle as unprecedented in his experience. Hedgepeth recounted seeing Smith violently thrashing against the restraints, a stark departure from the typically subdued nature of such procedures.
The use of nitrogen gas for capital punishment has been heralded by Alabama state officials as a humane and painless method of execution. However, Smith's execution has ignited controversy and condemnation from various quarters, including the White House and the United Nations.
Smith's journey to execution was marked by legal battles and concerns raised by his defense team regarding the experimental nature and potential risks of the nitrogen method. Despite last-minute appeals, the US Supreme Court declined to intervene, allowing the execution to proceed as scheduled.
Smith's conviction stemmed from a murder-for-hire plot in 1988, where he was found guilty of orchestrating the killing of Elizabeth Sennett at the behest of her husband, Charles Sennett. The grim details of the crime, including multiple stabbings and blunt force trauma inflicted upon the victim, underscored the brutality of the offense.
The nitrogen gas execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith has sparked international outcry, with the White House expressing deep concern over the method's use and UN human rights experts condemning it as potentially constituting torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
