Alabama executes inmate with nitrogen gas after past lethal injection attempt failed
Alabama executed a condemned man Thursday using nitrogen gas in only the second instance in the United States of the method's use, which drew criticism from human rights groups.
Alabama executed a condemned man Thursday using nitrogen gas in only the second instance in the United States of the method's use, which drew criticism from human rights groups.
Alan Eugene Miller, a former delivery driver who was convicted in 2000 for a workplace shooting spree, was executed in the state prison in Atmore, the governor's office said.
Prison staff members put Miller, 59, to death via nitrogen hypoxia, in which a person breathes only nitrogen through a mask apparatus and is deprived of oxygen. It was also the second time Alabama moved to execute him after an execution squad struggled to do so two years ago by lethal injection.
Curtains to the death chamber were opened at 6:12 p.m. Miller said in a final statement that "I didn't do anything to be in here" and "I didn't do anything to be on death row," reported AL.com. Gas then appeared to flow into his mask at 6:16 p.m., media witnesses said.
AL.com reported that his fingers moved slightly when his spiritual adviser came to his side. Miller then pulled against his restraints, shaking and trembling for about two minutes, and periodically gasped for about six minutes, The Associated Press reported.
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