The Biden administration has voiced its deep concerns over the recent execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith in Alabama, which utilized a controversial method involving nitrogen gas. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre expressed her troubled sentiments during a press briefing, emphasizing that the administration finds the execution method inhumane and a form of torture. Smith, 58, was the first inmate in the United States to be put to death using nitrogen hypoxia, a method that deprives the individual of oxygen.
The execution, which lasted approximately 22 minutes, drew criticism as Smith appeared to remain conscious for several minutes, exhibiting visible signs of distress. Jean-Pierre stated that President Biden has always been concerned about the implementation of the death penalty, questioning its consistency with American values. The use of nitrogen gas as an execution method marks a departure from the commonly utilized lethal injection, which was introduced in 1982.
Smith was sentenced to death for his involvement in the 1988 murder-for-hire stabbing of Elizabeth Sennett, a preacher’s wife. The execution method chosen for Smith’s case came after a failed attempt at lethal injection in 2022. The state of Alabama faced difficulties in inserting an IV into Smith’s veins, leading to the decision to explore alternative execution methods.
Following Smith’s execution, Republican Governor Kay Ivey announced a pause on executions in order to conduct an internal review of lethal injection procedures. Lethal injections had only recently resumed in Alabama after a hiatus. In Smith’s last-minute appeal to the Supreme Court, he argued against his execution, expressing concerns over potential procedural errors. Despite the appeal being rejected, Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented, accusing Alabama of using Smith as a “guinea pig” to test the new execution method.
International condemnation followed the execution, with the United Nations and European Union condemning the use of nitrogen hypoxia. The U.N. Human Rights Office spokesperson, Ravina Shamdasani, described Smith’s visible suffering during the execution and urged an end to the death penalty. The European Union also labeled nitrogen hypoxia as “particularly cruel and unusual punishment” and called for the abolition of capital punishment.
The Biden administration has previously shown support for a moratorium on the federal death penalty. Attorney General Merrick Garland implemented the moratorium in 2021, pending a review of policies and procedures. However, federal prosecutors recently announced their intention to seek the death penalty for a gunman responsible for killing 10 black people at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, in May 2022. Jean-Pierre reiterated President Biden’s concerns over the death penalty’s implementation, highlighting that these concerns persist.
As the debate surrounding capital punishment continues, the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith has ignited renewed discussions on the morality and constitutionality of different execution methods. The Biden administration’s expression of deep concern reflects a growing movement towards questioning the death penalty’s place in the 21st century.
