Kenneth Eugene Smith, a Death Row inmate, was put to death by a controversial gassing method after surviving a previous execution order. Smith was imprisoned in 1988 for the pay-for-hire murder of Elizabeth Sennett. In 2017, a judge reworked his sentence, ruling that he should face the death penalty. Smith’s execution with pure nitrogen administered through a face mask left him “convulsing” and in “torturous” pain for 22 minutes before his death. In his final words, Smith criticized the state of Alabama and expressed that humanity had taken a “step backward.”
Prior to his execution, Smith spoke about his lack of readiness and his struggle with daily panic attacks, which he attributed to a horrifying Death Row experience. He also mentioned being denied food before his execution, after having his last meal at 10 am.
Some people considered the use of nitrogen as a peaceful execution method, while others, including euthanasia expert Dr. Philip Nitschke, expressed concerns about its use. Despite the circumstances, Smith emphasized his lack of violent behavior during his 35 years in prison and questioned why he had not been punished during that time. He also expressed the suffering he endured during his years of incarceration.
In the aftermath of the botched execution, Smith’s legal team claimed that the experience left him with lasting PTSD, as he was effectively starved of oxygen until his death.
