Second Execution Attempt for Alan Eugene Miller Using Controversial Method
An inmate in Alabama is once again facing the death penalty as he prepares for a second execution attempt using a disputed method known as nitrogen hypoxia. This method has drawn criticism for its potential to cause immense suffering, with opponents branding it as a form of torture.
Previous Execution Attempt Halted
Alan Eugene Miller, 59, had an execution attempt stymied two years ago when officials were unable to locate his veins for lethal injection in the required timeframe. Governor Kay Ivey has now set a 30-hour timeframe for Miller’s execution, which marks the state’s ongoing efforts to proceed with this method.
Lawsuit Settled Prior to Execution
The latest attempt comes after a federal lawsuit Miller filed against the usage of nitrogen gas in his execution was settled last month. Miller contested the state’s nitrogen hypoxia protocol, asserting it might inflict unnecessary suffering, which would violate his Eighth Amendment rights. The settlement details remain confidential, though Alabama’s Attorney General has defended nitrogen hypoxia as a constitutional execution method.
Support and Criticism of Nitrogen Hypoxia
Proponents argue that this method, which eliminates oxygen in the inmate’s breathing process, could cause a swift loss of consciousness, making it a more humane option than other execution techniques. However, medical professionals caution that the exact moment or process of losing consciousness is variable and unpredictable.
In a prior execution by nitrogen hypoxia this January, witnesses reported that the inmate exhibited distress by shaking and writhing on the gurney for several minutes before death.
A Long Path to Execution
Miller has faced the death penalty for over two decades, following his conviction in 2000 for the murders of three men in a workplace shooting in Alabama. The prosecution indicated that Miller became enraged over rumors involving the victims, whom he believed had tarnished his reputation.
In a shocking series of events on the morning of August 5, 1999, Miller confronted two of the victims at his workplace, resulting in their deaths. Subsequently, he proceeded to another location where he confronted the third victim, leading to yet another shooting.
Expert Opinions on Execution Methods
Though Miller’s defense included claims of mental illness, the court determined that those issues did not qualify for an insanity defense. Critics of nitrogen hypoxia remain vocal, especially following the harrowing execution of another inmate earlier this year, which raised widespread concern over the ethical implications of this execution method.
Wider Use of Nitrogen Hypoxia in the US
While Alabama remains the only state to have applied nitrogen hypoxia in actual executions, others, including Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Mississippi, have authorized similar procedures as part of their death penalty statutes.
As the date of Miller’s execution nears, many are watching closely, anticipating implications this might have for the future of execution methods in the U.S.
