nitrogen

A federal appeals court has ruled that Alabama’s use of nitrogen gas to put people to death needs more study of whether it violates a constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. This decision comes just days before a state death row inmate is scheduled to be executed using the controversial method.

A federal judge has ruled that execution by nitrogen gas does not violate the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment, rejecting an Alabama inmate’s claim that it causes excessive suffering.

Alabama has set a June execution by nitrogen gas for a man convicted of killing two people during a 1998 robbery of a pawn shop. Governor Kay Ivey set a June 11 execution date for Jeffery James Lee, 49. Lee was convicted of killing Jimmy Ellis and Elaine Thompson while robbing a pawn shop that belonged to Ellis.

An Alabama death row inmate set to die this week asked the state’s governor to meet with him “before an innocent man is executed.” Anthony Boyd, 53, is scheduled to be executed Thursday evening by nitrogen gas at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility. A jury convicted Boyd of capital murder for the 1993 burning death of Gregory Huguley in Talladega County.

Alabama is preparing to execute a man convicted of killing a woman during a 1997 gas station robbery in what will be the nation's latest execution carried out with nitrogen gas. It is one of two executions scheduled Thursday in the United States. Texas plans to carry out a lethal injection on the same evening.

Alabama is scheduled to execute Geoffrey West on Thursday for the 1997 murder of Margaret Berry. Berry was killed during a gas station robbery. Berry's son has asked the state to not execute West and let him serve life in prison.

Alabama plans to carry out another execution by nitrogen gas and has set a June execution date for a man convicted of the 1988 killing of a woman. Gregory Hunt is scheduled to be put to death June 10 for the 1988 beating death of Karen Lane.

An Alabama inmate convicted of murdering a woman after breaking into her apartment as she slept was put to death Thursday evening in the nation's fourth execution using nitrogen gas. Demetrius Frazier, 52, was pronounced dead at 6:36 p.m. CST at a south Alabama prison for his murder conviction in the 1991 rape and killing of 41-year-old Pauline Brown.

Alabama has scheduled its fourth execution by nitrogen gas. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday set a Feb. 6 execution date for Demetrius Frazier. Her office said the execution will be carried out by nitrogen gas. Frazier was convicted of killing Pauline Brown while burglarizing her Birmingham apartment in 1991.

Alabama is attracting international attention following the nitrogen gas execution of Carey Grayson. The UK’s Daily Mail is describing the method as controversial while Britain’s Daily Star called the process agonizing torture. Grayson was one of four teens convicted of killing a hitch hiker by throwing her off a cliff. It was the third execution in the U.S. using nitrogen gas, all carried out in Alabama this year.