Carey Grayson Set for Execution by Nitrogen Gas

Carey Dale Grayson, 50, is set to become the third person executed by nitrogen gas in the U.S., scheduled for Thursday evening in Alabama. Grayson was convicted for the 1994 murder of Vickie Deblieux, who was hitchhiking when she was brutally killed by four teenagers, of which Grayson is the only one facing a death sentence due to his age at the time. Alabama's controversial nitrogen gas execution method, introduced this year, involves replacing breathable air with nitrogen, leading to death by suffocation; however, critics argue that it has not been adequately tested following reports of distress during the first two executions. The method has drawn international scrutiny and calls for more oversight, especially as other states may consider adopting it. Deblieux's murder was particularly gruesome, with her body mutilated and discovered at the bottom of a bluff. Grayson was 19 at the time of the crime, while the other teens involved were under 18, leading to their sentences being overturned.