US appeals court raises concerns about Alabama’s use of nitrogen gas for executions
The panel said Lee showed a substantial risk of serious harm and ordered a trial court to examine whether a feasible alternative exists.
- A federal appeals court ruled Monday that Alabama's nitrogen gas execution method needs more study regarding constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment, days before a scheduled Thursday execution.
- Death row inmate Jeffery Lee filed a lawsuit last year challenging the method after an earlier federal judge ruled it did not violate the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
- Attorneys for Lee argue the method causes excessive suffering, noting Alabama's last nitrogen execution took more than 30 minutes to complete and involves replacing breathable air with pure nitrogen gas.
- The three-judge appeals court panel stopped short of staying the planned execution but asked the judge to consider whether a firing squad alternative remained feasible for the state.
- Nationally, nitrogen gas has been used in eight executions—seven times in Alabama and once in Louisiana—as Lee awaits Thursday's execution for killing two people during a 1998 robbery.
45 Articles
45 Articles
Federal appeals court says Alabama nitrogen gas execution inflicts unconstitutional suffering
A federal appeals court ruled Monday that Alabama's nitrogen gas execution method likely inflicts a cruel and constitutionally impermissible degree of suffering on condemned inmates -- but stopped short of blocking a scheduled execution set for Thursday.
Alabama’s controversial nitrogen hypoxia execution method ‘intolerable,’ court rules
A federal appeals court has ruled Alabama’s method of executing prisoners with nitrogen gas could cause “intolerable” suffering, reversing a lower court’s decision and setting up a legal battle ahead of an execution scheduled for Thursday.
U.S. appeals court raises concerns about Alabama’s use of nitrogen gas for executions
A federal appeals court has ruled that Alabama’s use of nitrogen gas to put prisoners to death needs more study of whether it violates a constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
Federal appeals court orders more scrutiny of Alabama's nitrogen gas execution method
A federal appeals court ruled Monday that Alabama’s use of nitrogen gas to put prisoners to death needs more study of whether it violates a constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment, days before a scheduled execution by that method.
Days before Alabama execution, federal court orders new hearing
A jury convicted Jeffrey Lee, 50, of the 1998 murders of Jimmy Ellis and Elaine Thompson during a pawn shop robbery. A three-judge panel Monday ordered a lower court to hold a new hearing on alternative execution methods after finding that Alabama's nitrogen gas execution method creates a substantial risk of serious harm. (Alabama Department of Corrections)A federal appeals court Monday ordered a new hearing for an Alabama death row inmate sched…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 44% of the sources lean Left, 44% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
