Alabama court says state can make second attempt to execute inmate whose lethal injection failed
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Alabama Supreme Court on Friday rejected the appeal of a death row inmate who is scheduled to be the first person put to death with nitrogen gas and had argued that he shouldn’t face execution after a previous attempt at a lethal injection failed. Justices without dissent rejected arguments that a second attempt to execute Kenneth Eugene Smith would violate federal and state bans on cruel and unusual punishment. “The Court of Criminal Appeals concluded that a second execution attempt under such circumstances would not constitute cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the United States and Alabama Constitutions — a conclusion that is not contradicted by the Supreme Court’s rulings,” Justice Greg Cook wrote in a concurring opinion. Circuit Court of Appeals next week will hear oral arguments in Smith’s appeal of that decision Smith was one of two men convicted of the 1988 murder-for-hire slaying of a preacher’s wife.
Alan Eugene Miller: Alabama has executed the second inmate known to die by nitrogen gas
Discover Related
Longest-serving inmate on Arkansas’ death row dies from natural causes
Longest-serving inmate on Arkansas’ death row dies from natural causes
A second South Carolina death row inmate chooses execution by firing squad
The Supreme Court rejects a Texas death row inmate’s appeal
Florida executes man convicted of killing 8-year-old girl, her grandmother
Oklahoma conducts first execution of 2025 amid lethal injection plans
Florida man faces execution for the killing of an 8-year-old girl and her grandmother
Arizona Executes A Man Who Murdered His Girlfriend's Ex-husband
Louisiana conducts its first nitrogen gas execution after 15-year hiatus
Arkansas governor signs legislation allowing executions by nitrogen gas
Arkansas governor signs legislation allowing executions by nitrogen gas
Louisiana death row inmate asks for last-minute court ruling to halt nitrogen gas execution
Alabama set to execute inmate who dropped appeals and requested death
We’re Really Doing Execution by Firing Squad Again?