by Maya Dorsam ‘27

This year, the state of Alabama became the first to execute prisoners on death row by means of nitrogen hypoxia. The method comprises inmates wearing a masked device covering their face from forehead to chin, depriving them of oxygen by 100 percent nitrogen. After the technique was conducted on two inmates, Eugene Miller on September 26 and Kenneth Smith in January, the results prove it is inherently unconstitutional.

Observers noted that Smith frantically and violently thrashed on the gurney as he heaved for several minutes, but defenders of the method quickly claimed that these reactions were a result of a combination of Smith’s attempts to hold his breath and oxygen leaking into the mask. Later this year, however, Miller suffered the same effects of continued shaking for minutes on end and gasping for breath during the time leading up to his death. Under the Eighth Amendment, all citizens are protected against cruel and unusual punishment, and this form of execution is clearly excruciating. United Nations Human Rights experts agree by calling the method nothing short of torture, and they point out that death by nitrogen hypoxia has been proven to cause suffering to animals. This method of execution causes a horrible and tortuous death and must be stopped.