Alabama seeking to become first state to use nitrogen as execution method

WVAS | By Melanie Hogan

Published September 1, 2023 at 11:31 AM EDT

Alabama's proposed procedures to carry out executions with nitrogen gas include fitting a mask over the inmate's face and replacing their breathing air with nitrogen until their heart stops.

The state described the procedures for the proposed new execution method in a redacted court filing.

Alabama is seeking to become the first state to execute a prisoner using nitrogen.

Nitrogen hypoxia has been authorized as an execution method in Alabama, Oklahoma and Mississippi, but no state has used the method to carry out a death sentence.

If Alabama carries out an execution by nitrogen, it will be the first new execution method since lethal injection was introduced in the 1970s.

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Melanie Hogan

Melanie began her career as a work study student, working in the areas of news reporting, anchoring and news-gathering. After graduating from Alabama State University, she worked as a production assistant at the local NBC affiliate, WSFA-TV. As a News Director at WVAS-FM, Melanie leads her team to produce award- winning newscasts and talk shows. Her professional achievements includes News Reporter of the Year for a number of years and awards for talk show producer, by the Alabama Broadcasters Association and the Associated Press. She is an active member of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. Her goals are to expand the reach of WVAS FM into more homes locally, regionally and nationally.

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