CNN —Alabama inmate Kenneth Smith was put to death Thursday night by nitrogen hypoxia, marking the nation’s first known execution to be carried out using that method.
The execution process began at 7:53 p.m. CT Thursday, and Smith was pronounced dead at 8:25 p.m., according to Alabama Department of Corrections officials.
Smith made a lengthy statement in front of the witnesses before the execution started, according to the pool reporters.
A new method of capital punishmentAhead of Smith’s execution, a tense debate unfolded about whether America’s wholly new execution method is humane and whether the procedure would cause undue pain.
The family has forgiven everyone involved in the killing, including Smith, Michael Sennett said at a news conference Thursday night.
Persons:
Kenneth Smith, Smith, United Nations –, William C, John Hamm, gurney, “, writhed, Hamm, ” Hamm, Jeff Hood, who’d, ” Smith, gurney ”, Hood, ”, ’, Elizabeth Sennett's, Elizabeth Sennett, Sennett, Charles Sennett, Michael, ” Elizabeth Sennett’s, What’s, ” Chuck Sennett, “ He’s, Michael Sennett, CNN’s Devan Cole, Christina Maxouris, Isabel Rosales, Lauren Mascarenhas, Jamiel Lynch
Organizations:
CNN, United Nations, Holman Correctional, Alabama Department of Corrections, “
Locations:
Alabama, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Atmore, Alta