Alabama Judicial Building, where the state supreme court meets, is seen in Montgomery, Alabama, U.S. September 26, 2019.
REUTERS/Chris Aluka Berry/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 22 (Reuters) - The Supreme Court of Alabama is weighing whether to allow the state to become the first to execute a prisoner with a novel method: asphyxiation using nitrogen gas.
Smith's lawyers have said the untested protocol may violate the U.S. Constitution's ban on "cruel and unusual punishments."
They are due to file their opposition to the attorney general's death warrant application with the court on Friday.
Oklahoma and Mississippi have also approved nitrogen asphyxiation executions, but are yet to try the method.
Persons:
Chris Aluka Berry, Steve Marshall, Kenneth Smith, Smith, Alabama's, gurney, Joel Zivot, Zivot, Jonathan Allen, Timothy Gardner
Organizations:
Alabama Judicial, REUTERS, Alabama, Alabama Department of Corrections, Emory School of Medicine, Thomson
Locations:
Alabama, Montgomery , Alabama, U.S, Oklahoma, Mississippi, New York