Kenneth Eugene Smith, 58, is scheduled to be executed by nitrogen hypoxia, marking the first time this method will be used in the United States. The execution is set to take place between January 25 and 26, 2024. Smith’s previous execution attempt in November 2022 was aborted after officials failed to establish an IV line for lethal injection. The Alabama Department of Corrections has planned the execution using nitrogen hypoxia, a method where a mask is placed over the inmate’s mouth and nose, forcing them to inhale pure nitrogen gas, leading to death due to oxygen deprivation.
Controversy and Legal Battles
This method has raised significant concerns from Smith’s lawyers, anti-death penalty groups, and the United Nations. Critics argue that there has not been sufficient study on the process’s duration and potential suffering it may cause. The United Nations Human Rights Council expressed concerns that nitrogen hypoxia might result in a painful and humiliating death. Despite these concerns, a U.S. District Judge ruled the execution should proceed, sparking further debate over the ethical and legal implications of this new execution method.
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Who was Elizabeth Sennett?
Background and Murder
Elizabeth Sennett, a 45-year-old resident of Colbert County, Alabama, was murdered in 1988. She was the victim of a murder-for-hire scheme orchestrated by her husband, Charles Sennett, who was in debt and sought to claim her life insurance. Kenneth Eugene Smith, along with John Forrest Parker, were paid by Charles Sennett to carry out the murder. Elizabeth Sennett’s murder was a brutal and calculated act, involving stabbing and beating.
Legal Aftermath
The case led to the conviction of Kenneth Eugene Smith and his accomplice. Charles Sennett, facing investigation, committed suicide.
The case of Elizabeth Sennett’s murder has been a focal point in discussions about capital punishment, ethics, and the legal system, especially considering the drawn-out and controversial execution of her convicted murderer, Kenneth Eugene Smith.
