"Controversy Surrounds Alabama's First Nitrogen Gas Execution"

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall defends the state's first nitrogen gas execution, claiming it was "textbook," despite witnesses reporting that the inmate thrashed on the gurney and took longer than expected to become unconscious. The execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith, who had been on death row for over three decades, has drawn criticism from civil rights and religious groups, with concerns raised about potential violations of human rights and the possibility of a torturous death. The use of nitrogen gas as an alternative method for executions is being considered by other states facing challenges with lethal injections.