"Alabama's Landmark Nitrogen Gas Execution: What You Should Know"

Kenneth Eugene Smith is set to be the first person executed with nitrogen gas after the US Supreme Court and a federal appeals court declined to stop his execution. Smith's attorneys raised concerns about the untested method, citing risks and potential for a cruel and unusual execution. The 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against blocking the execution, with one judge dissenting. Smith's preference for nitrogen gas stems from a botched 2022 execution attempt. If unsuccessful, Smith could become the first person executed with gas since 1999. He was convicted of a 1988 murder-for-hire scheme in Colbert County, Alabama.