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Alabama calls nitrogen execution method 'painless' and 'humane,' but critics raise doubts (apnews.com)
submitted 2 years ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world
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Alabama, unless stopped by the courts, intends to strap Kenneth Eugene Smith to a gurney Thursday and use a gas mask to replace breathable air with nitrogen, depriving him of oxygen, in the nation’s first execution attempt with the method.

The Alabama attorney general’s office told federal appeals court judges last week that nitrogen hypoxia is “the most painless and humane method of execution known to man.” But what exactly Smith, 58, will feel after the warden switches on the gas is unknown, some doctors and critics say.

“What effect the condemned person will feel from the nitrogen gas itself, no one knows,” Dr. Jeffrey Keller, president of the American College of Correctional Physicians, wrote in an email. “This has never been done before. It is an experimental procedure.”

Keller, who was not involved in developing the Alabama protocol, said the plan is to “eliminate all of the oxygen from the air” that Smith is breathing by replacing it with nitrogen.

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[-] pennomi@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

YOU are giving opinions, I am giving facts. Here are a few peer reviewed studies that support my statements:

Really, inert gas hypoxia is quite painless and fast, it’s a decent way to go. That being said, execution is barbaric practice we have no need of.

[-] Ross_audio@lemmy.world -4 points 2 years ago

Well one of those is disputed by evidence directly. 5-10 seconds is clearly in a context irrelevant to the discussion.

But I'm glad you got a hit on your Google scholar search.

Care to read the papers too?

I don't, you're not displaying any reason at all.

[-] pennomi@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I did read the papers and this process is extraordinarily similar to the process that is going to be used in the execution (immediate removal of all oxygen). Quote from the article:

The state of Alabama has predicted in federal court filings that the nitrogen gas will “cause unconsciousness within seconds, and cause death within minutes.”

This is exactly the context that is relevant to the discussion. Did you possibly have something else in mind?

[-] Ross_audio@lemmy.world -3 points 2 years ago

That's simply not how breathing works.

This is stating unconsciousness "within seconds". How many.

120 is a normal range to pass out from complete oxygen deprivation.. That's also countable in minutes. It ranges from 30-180 seconds.

It's slow.

Read the papers.

this post was submitted on 23 Jan 2024
217 points (93.6% liked)

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