Louisiana Executes Death Row Inmate with Banned Nitrogen Method

Jessie Hoffman, a Louisiana inmate scheduled for execution tonight, is challenging the state's use of nitrogen gas, arguing it violates his religious rights and constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. This marks Louisiana's first execution in 15 years, with nitrogen hypoxia being criticized as inhumane, a method that is even banned for euthanizing pets in the state unless they are already unconscious. Hoffman's legal team claims the method inflicts psychological suffering, while state officials assert it is painless and necessary for delivering justice. The UN has condemned nitrogen gas as a cruel execution method, following its first use in January 2024 in Alabama. Despite legal challenges, including a last-minute appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill expects the execution to proceed as planned. Advocates against the death penalty continue to voice opposition, emphasizing the contradictions in the state's use of this execution method for humans versus its prohibition for animals.