ATMORE, Ala. — After spending more than two decades on death row, contract killer and Alabama native Kenneth Smith is set to become the first person to be executed by nitrogen hypoxia. This method, referred to as experimental by Smith’s attorneys and admonished by the United Nations, is scheduled for Thursday. The US Supreme Court has declined to stop the execution, and Smith will not be alone in the gas chamber at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility during the execution.
Smith’s story dates back to 1988 when he was indicted for the capital murder of Elizabeth Dorlene Sennett. Allegations surfaced that Sennett, a Church of Christ minister, arranged for his wife’s murder due to financial and personal reasons. Sennett recruited individuals, including Smith, to carry out the murder, leading to an indictment and subsequent trials for Smith and his cohorts.
After being convicted and sentenced to death in 1989 and then having his conviction overturned in 1992, Smith was retried in 1996 and once again sentenced to death. However, complications during the scheduled execution in November 2020 led to its cancellation. Now, Smith is slated to be the first inmate in U.S. history to be executed using nitrogen hypoxia.
Nitrogen hypoxia is a controversial proposed method that involves depriving the inmate of oxygen by forcing them to breathe only nitrogen. Smith will have company in the execution chamber, with a correctional officer and a Catholic priest present, though concerns over the risks and legality of this method have been raised. Critics argue that the process is untested and liken it to human experimentation, while Smith’s lawyers believe the state’s plan is flawed and could cause inhumane suffering.
Despite opposition from the United Nations and other advocacy groups, Smith’s execution is still set to proceed as planned. As with any developing story, further updates will be provided as information becomes available.