US Supreme Court Declines to Halt First Nitrogen Gas Execution in US

Published on January 25, 2024

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to stop the very first nitrogen gas execution in the United States after an Alabama death row inmate appealed to the high court. Inmate Kenneth Smith received the death penalty for his role in a murder-for-hire scheme in 1988. More than a year ago, officials in Alabama stopped an effort to execute him via lethal injection but failed before the deadline. The justices denied Mr. Smith’s request to stay his execution, which is slated for Thursday, and declined to hear his legal challenge contending. None of the nine justices publicly dissented in the case. The Supreme Court also provided no explanation of their brief order....

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