.ON JANUARY 25TH Kenneth Eugene Smith ended up being the 1st individual anywhere to be executed by nitrogen hypoxia. He was actually pronounced guilty in 1989 of murdering Elizabeth Sennett, the other half of a minister coming from Alabama, on her hubby's orders. The state possessed initial made an effort to execute him, by lethal injection, in November 2022, yet mishandled the method. After that, Mr Smith picked to become put to death by novel methods. His execution has resulted in shock: Alabama claims nitrogen hypoxia is an easy, pain-free death however many medical experts differ. Some have likened it to torture. Why did Alabama authorise this untried procedure?