Alabama executes death-row prisoner with nitrogen gas

[Whyayeman]

The state of Alabama has used the controversial method of execution on a man, Alan Miller yesterday evening. The method used was nitrogen asphyxiation, depriving the condemned man of oxygen by forcing him to breathe pure nitrogen..

The execution was slow. By any standards it is cruel and unusual, and thus against the spirit of American laws.

This cruelty is compounded by the paucity of the case against him. His guilt is at best dubious.

Alabama executes death-row prisoner with nitrogen gas

Alan Miller, 59, second person in US to be executed via controversial technique, shook and trembled on gurney

www.theguardian.com

 

[iluvatar5150]

I'm aware that there are different means of assuring asphyxiation; I'm unaware of the specifics of this method, but at least in theory, oxygen replacement ought to be one of the quicker and least painful ways to go.

Regarding this specific crime, there doesn't appear to be any question that he committed the murders, just about whether or not he was mentally ill.

 

[Whyayeman]

I'm aware that there are different means of assuring asphyxiation; I'm unaware of the specifics of this method, but at least in theory, oxygen replacement ought to be one of the quicker and least painful ways to go.

Regarding this specific crime, there doesn't appear to be any question that he committed the murders, just about whether or not he was mentally ill.

I have edited to include the Guardian article on the topic. Sorry for the mistake!

The nitrogen asphyxiation method is controversial because of the time it takes to achieve the result.

 

[Desk trauma]

Should have known they would find a way to botch what should have been as peaceful a method of execution as is possible.

 

[Pommer]

Should have known they would find a way to botch what should have been as peaceful a method of execution as is possible.

I would have thought that carbon monoxide asphyxiation would have been tried.
One’s body doesn’t react to the absence of oxygen as with N2 asphyxiation, since it's there in abundance (just tightly bound to the hemoglobin @ 200x the affinity that O2 has), and is already a “medical gas” (albeit for one single, rarely used, lung test), that as I recall is 90% O2, 10% CO.

 

[Desk trauma]

I would have thought that carbon monoxide asphyxiation would have been tried.
One’s body doesn’t react to the absence of oxygen as with N2 asphyxiation, since it's there in abundance (just tightly bound to the hemoglobin @ 200x the affinity that O2 has), and is already a “medical gas” (albeit for one single, rarely used, lung test), that as I recall is 90% O2, 10% CO.

Argon and nitrogen should result in similar you don’t know you’re in trouble until you’re unconscious situations, they do accidentally with unfortunate frequency where those gases are used for welding or food preservation, yet the room temperature IQ department of corrections managed to make that not the case. Bravo.

 

[Whyayeman]

I would have thought that carbon monoxide asphyxiation would have been tried.

This is part of the problem. The method adopted was used in Alabama on another prisoner and was demonstrably inhumane. Hanging and shooting were faster - instantaneous if properly carried out.

Vets tried the nitrogen asphyxiation method and abandoned it because it was inhumane. That is to say - it is a slow, inefficient and causes a painful death. It is not the job of justice departments to carry out experiments in killing people. That was Josef Mengele's job.

 

[rjs330]

I don't know why we don't just put people to sleep in the same way we do animals.

 

[Desk trauma]

I don't know why we don't just put people to sleep in the same way we do animals.

Drug manufacturers and medical personnel refusing to be involved.

 

[DaisyDay]

I don't know why we don't just put people to sleep in the same way we do animals.

Expense and availability. Our society is more humane towards our pets than towards our people.

 

[keith99]

I don't know why we don't just put people to sleep in the same way we do animals.

An excellent question. It seems to be painless (I've been with 2 large dogs when it was done).

 

[Whyayeman]

I don't know why we don't just put people to sleep in the same way we do animals.

I think it is because animals are put to sleep by professionals and the medical profession's ethics very properly prevent them from killing people.

 

[DaisyDay]

This cruelty is compounded by the paucity of the case against him. His guilt is at best dubious.

You’re probably thinking of Marcellus Williams whom Missouri just got through killing, by lethal injection.

 

[RileyG]

I have problems with capital punishment to begin with, and this makes it even worse. Ugh.

 

[Whyayeman]

You’re probably thinking of Marcellus Williams whom Missouri just got through killing, by lethal injection.

OK. I thought I had edited that sentence out.

 

[DaisyDay]

OK. I thought I had edited that sentence out.

That case is a disgrace but the Supreme Court ruled some time ago that if evidence of actual innocence is not presented at trial then too bad, appeals are for procedural issues only.

 

[Nithavela]

How do you painfully kill someone with nitrogen? I wasn't aware that is even possible.

 

[RileyG]

How do you painfully kill someone with nitrogen? I wasn't aware that is even possible.

It's barbaric and cruel.

 

[Nithavela]

It's barbaric and cruel.

A couple of days ago, someone killed himself with nitrogen gas in Switzerland. The death is described as very quick and painless.

Switzerland: Police investigate 1st use of 'suicide capsule' – DW – 09/24/2024

Swiss police say they have detained several people and opened a criminal case a day after the first use of the "Sarco" capsule to end a person's life. Assisted dying is legal in Switzerland in some circumstances.

www.dw.com

 

[Whyayeman]

How do you painfully kill someone with nitrogen? I wasn't aware that is even possible.

It is asphyxiation. It took some time to die in the case of the prisoner in question. What we know about his death from the eyewitness is that he struggled.

In any case it is a method of extermination vets will not use on humanitarian grounds.