Kenneth Smith ‘struggled for life’ for 22 minutes in nitrogen gas execution: Updates
www.independent.co.uk
Witness Reverend Jeff Hood told reporters he saw a man ‘struggling for their life’ for 22 minutes as Smith became the first US death row inmate executed by nitrogen asphyxia

“Kenny just began to gasp for air repeatedly and the execution took about 25 minutes total.”

Pretty compassionate way to kill a person.

Once again, the Law in the south is brutal.

  • RarePepeCollector@lemmy.world
    71·
    10 months ago

    He only killed one person too. Seems he killed the wrong person, maybe someone with power/connections. It makes no sense how he gets the death penalty but other murders don’t.

    • The dogspaw English
      5·
      10 months ago

      I don’t believe in the death penalty first off its cheaper just to give someone life Imprisonment and second its morally wrong

      • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
        3·
        10 months ago

        … and third sometimes they get it wrong and execute an innocent person. You can release an innocent person from prison when you screw up, but there no undo for an execution.

        Fourth, the process of carrying out an execution can get botched. While there are plenty of people that have the necessary skills needed to carry out an execution, nearly all of those people won’t do it because of that hippocratic oath thing.

        Fifth, it’s just a bad look. It feels like it’s more about revenge and than justice, and it’s important to not get these things confused.

      • nolight@lemm.eeEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        How is it cheaper though? I don’t support death penalty, but I fail to see how it’s cheaper to keep them alive?

        • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
          3·
          10 months ago

          Someone who’s life is on the line will tend use every possible legal resource possible to avoid getting killed. Survival instinct.

          On the other side, people making the decision to kill a guy tend to want to make sure they got it right.

          So lots of appeals, lots of time in the court. Lawyers and judges get paid a lot more than prison guards, and the cost of prison guard is spread over many prisoners, while the cost of the judge and lawyers for an appeal is all just for that one person on death row. Courtrooms tend to be nicer than prison cells so the upkeep cost of infrastructure is also higher. Doesn’t take all that much time in a courtroom to come out to a higher cost than keeping a guy in a prison for the rest of his life.