“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.
As someone well versed in inhaling Nitrous Oxide, why not not just use Nitrous Oxide? That’d be a quick way out, and it’s cheap, you can buy enough to kill a person on Amazon for like $30
There’s functionally no difference. The way that they messed this up would have still created suffering because they weren’t letting carbon dioxide escape.
The suffocation feeling comes from CO2 buildup, not lack of oxygen. The same issue can happen with nitrous oxide if you don’t let the CO2 escape.
So their problem was they didn’t vent his exhalation? And only let him breath in pure nitrogen?
I’m going to take a wild guess here and say no one knows. The folks who put the mask on the dude are probably not any sort of experts in masks, gas, or not being an ass, and everyone in this thread is speculating.
Also, and keep in mind I have never killed myself using this method, so I don’t know first hand, but, nitrogen is lighter than carbon dioxide, so if the person had 100% pure nitrogen to breathe, and no carbon dioxide, and is maintained with their head near the top of the pod, they would have died fast and allegedly without feeling it.
However, I am absolutely convinced that the people responsible for this execution did research on how to make this method as painful as possible (done right, it is apparently euphoric, and there is NO WAY they would even remotely take the risk of this happening), so they probably went out of their way to have a nitrogen-oxygen mix (like our atmosphere), but with lower amounts of oxygen, and forced the person to stay in a position that would guarantee they would die from CO2 asphyxiation rather than nitrogen.
It is even more inhumane than just using CO2 (as is done in meat “production”), because it prologs the suffering quite a lot… The whole point of using CO2 on animals is to expedite the process… at the expense of their suffering.
CO2 is also cheap and safer for human workers.
Nitrogen is undetectable with human senses, whereas you’ll instantly know if you enter an area with a high CO2 concentration. CO2 is also heavier than air, so it tends to stay in the “pit” they lower the animals into.
Same reason they don’t just OD them on morphine: those are enjoyable drugs, and we can’t be giving our death row inmates that.
The liquid? It would be excruciating. Burning your insides with frostbite.
You’re thinking of liquid nitrogen. Nitrous oxide is commonly found in whip cream cannisters, and is actually quite pleasurable imo.
Drowning in whip cream? You could probably just eat your way out.
agustus gloop soundin’ ass
Sorry. I can’t emphasize with criminals. It’s impossible for me. The only thing that is weird to me is why on earth you took almost 40 years to execute a prisoner? It doesn’t make sense. And other thing. I hope all the 4 criminals get the same punishment as well. It looks like the idiot paid the most. “Pastor Charles Sennett Sr. hired Billy Gray Williams, one of his tenants, to murder his wife, 45-year-old Elizabeth Dorlene Sennett.[6] To carry out the plan, Williams hired Kenneth Smith and John Forrest Parker to assist him.[6] Sennett was going to pay each of the men $1,000 for the murder.[6] On March 18, 1988, Elizabeth Sennett was found with fatal injuries in her home in Colbert County, Alabama.[6]”
Forget death row inmates, I volunteer as tribute
Every day I wake up and say: “what the fuck, America?!”
I imagine the “eXpErImEnTaL jAb!” group is fine and dandy with experimental murder.
Flawless logic.
Wait are you saying people who got vaccinated against COVID likely support creative for s of capital punishment?
My guy, you’re lost.
The odd way round. The anti-vaccination group
My guy, it is you who is lost
America is such a funny place. They dont have a problem with execution just experimental ones…
Many of us have a problem with all executions. And capital punishment was illegal in America from 1962-1976 until the Supreme Court reversed their original decision.
The only people I’m ok with killing are the ones we have undeniable poof for. Like the Uvalde school shooter. They have footage of him in the school with the gun and know he killed the kids. In my book he’s OK to execute. if there’s even a shred of doubt in anyone’s case then execution should be off the books period.
I don’t support the execution of the Uvalde shooter.
What does killing him accomplish?
Justice? Not really.
Restitution? Not at all.
Vengeance? Not really.
Deterrence? Not really.
Closure for the families of the victims? I suppose.
I don’t know about this case, but some families of victims oppose the death penalty, even in the case of the murder of their children.
Some reasons for this view could be religious beliefs, or the view that death is the easy way out, or the deterrence value of being able to point at a person in jail, or the potential for the person to do some good in the world.
These people would object to closure for them being used as justification for killing their child’s murderer.
It’s not fair to victim families to make them choose life or death for a murderer. It would be a decision they’d have to live with forever. We can’t do that to them.
My opinion is that capital punishment should only be used where a person guilty of a ‘capital crime’ can’t be reliably imprisoned.
Ie I’m not sure Iraqis were wrong to execute Saddam Hussein. I don’t think it would be wrong for countries that struggle with corruption in their penal system to execute cartel leaders (that have been convicted of ‘capital crimes’). War crimes, insurrection leaders, that sort of thing.
What does killing him accomplish?
One thing and one thing only: saves tax payer money long term.
Nope. The math has been done on this many times, and death sentence is more expensive than life without parole. And that’s according to the State’s own numbers.
The only people I’m ok with killing are the ones we have undeniable poof for.
The problem with that logic is that every criminal conviction is supposed to have “undeniable proof!”
No it’s not. In the context of the justice system in question, reasonable doubt is a MUCH lower bar than undeniable proof.
It isn’t supposed to be, though.
Edit: hey downvoter, what part of Blackstone’s Ratio do you not fucking understand?
A reasonable doubt is less strict than undeniable proof. If I go outside and see that the lawn and road is wet then I can beyond a reasonable doubt ascertain that it has rained, but that’s not undeniable proof. If I go outside and get rained on and measure that rainfall in a scientific way then that is undeniable proof. Blackstone’s ratio is irrelevant; too many people are wrongfully imprisoned and executed on dubious evidence. We seem to fucking agree about that, so calm down.
I downvote comments that are obtuse or don’t actually contribute to the conversation and I don’t see anything wrong with that.
Ik i should have added /s to my comment but its still disturbing to me that there are people who are okay with execution.
There are but there are currently only 20 states that have the ability to execute death sentences, and that number is slowly going down luckily.
Come on, isn’t this america? Why don’t they just shoot prisoners?! It’s quick, cheap and they love it, don’t they? Coming up with so many twisted ways to kill a person just to do it differently than the Nazis. If even Belarus is still officially shooting their people, why isn"t the greatest country in the world?
/s because I can’t handle thisMississippi authorizes firing squad if nitrogen hypoxia, lethal injection, and electrocution are held unconstitutional or “otherwise unavailable.”
Oklahoma & Utah have similar rules.
Holy shit, you’re right. Firing squad would be kinder. And I hate guns, so…
Because guns don’t kill people. The NRA said so.
Iran’s hanging people in public, America gasses them with private viewing.
For your consideration.
Are you arguing that “at least America is better than Iran”? That’s a pretty low bar.
Where do you see that being argued?
Iran’s hanging people in public, America gasses them with private viewing.
For your consideration.
And what argument are you inferring from that statement?
I already stated what I thought you were arguing. This is now your opportunity to clarify if I’ve misunderstood.
And what argument are you finding in the above statement? The statement was offered without comment, I’m curious what you’ve inferred from it.
I already stated what I thought you were arguing.
Every day you wake up and think, “There’s no way America can get even more fucked up than it was yesterday”.
And every day some asshole says “wanna bet…watch this.”
USA, USA, USA!
Stop executions.
Imagine actually allowing the government to murder people, dumbest thing we ever allowed 🙄
If someone kills your loved one on purpose for no good reason. What do you want to happen to that person?
capture, retention, rehabilitation if possible. get over your revenge fantasy.
You’ve obviously never met an evil person before. Because they exist, and they want nothing but harm done. And I want nothing but death for them.
keep on with that whole “evil” thing, I’m sure you’re onto something.
Dude it’s been 4 days
Right or wrong shouldn’t change even if I’m really angry. That’s fucking illogical.
Not for them to be killed. I’m not a psycho.
For them to live a long and uncomfortable life faced every day with the consequences of their actions, and removal of their freedom for their act of destroying the freedom of another
I’ll be that one guy and back you up on this one. Mind you it would probably have to be a “have nothing else left” state, but you bet your damned ass I would find a way to exact revenge.
People in my region voted away the mental health and rehab centers so instead we have very limited rehab options and multiple stabbings from repeat offenders who just get let out again because it doesn’t work and we have no resources in containment either. I guess there is more forgiveness in others than I possess seeing as after 10+ assaults and damaging multiple small businesses (no shareholders no crime? /s) this guy is still out and about. Eventually he will kill someone and maybe the family of the victim will shower him with kindness and warmth too.
Why don’t you kill him yourself? You seem to think you’ll be praised a hero. Why make someone else do your dirty work? Could it be because like the rest of us you don’t have the stomach for murder?
Killing them I don’t think will help. I wouldn’t forgive them. But I hope society is able to rehabilitate that person, because killing others isn’t something I believe is an accepted normal thing to do, and that person has problems that need resolving.
Hi kiddo.
My dad came from Belfast. During the troubles one of my cousins was murdered by a protestant foot soldier. He went to jail.
Killing him wouldn’t bring my cousin back.
One of mine was murdered. I’m still anti death penalty.
No
Yes.
No
Welcome to the 21st century, you might want to read up on what’s up in most developed countries.
Hang on, I’ma let you finish, but let me finish this comment chain real fast:
Me: No
Someone else: yes
Someone else(2): no
Someone else(3): yes
ad infinitum
Yes
No
What about billionaires? Can we at least get execute them?
No. Taking their wealth is punishment enough. Let’s not become the thing we fight.
No it isn’t enough. Also what makes you think you can take their wealth? The only way is through guillotines
Lemmy is so fucking dumb. Down voting anyone who says certain guilty people should be killed. Then someone says hey what about billionaires and up votes all over. Like they realized “oh yeah some people are pieces of shit and don’t deserve to live with the rest of us” DUH you fucking morons lol
That does not sound dumb to me, just like you can’t interpret social cues?
So is that a yes?
Hell yeah fuck billionaires. Execute all of them. I’d be happy and the world would be better off.
Atta boy! That’s the spirit
Hahaha alright lemmy. The death penalty is fine when you deem it’s alright. Bunch of hypocrites on this site lmao
Cool story bro.
Not sure why you keep addressing lemmy. Do you think it’s just one person? Have you not figured out that lemmy is full of different people with different opinions?
I know fucking crazy right? Who would have imagined something as crazy as that.
Welcome to the internet guy. First time?
Well if you want to execute billionaires then I’m not going to stand in your way. But I absolutely oppose having civil courts ordering death sentences.
Use a bolt gun. It is good enough for the cows and pigs it is fast, it probably hurts but likely less time than even a needle.
I suggest starting by testing it out on the person that though slow suffocation for 25 minutes was humane.
another good one. Not quite as theatrical as a canon execution, but a funny idea nonetheless.
Pro Life!
“Pro-life” is just the label they put on it to seem pious. It’s not pro-life. It’s anti-women. With conservatives the suffering is the point.
I don’t know anything about this other than the guy most have been pretty terrible to be on death row but even a brutal killer should have some rights nobody deserves to die like that
There’s also this bit…
When asked at the news conference about Smith shaking at the beginning of the execution, Hamm said Smith appeared to be holding his breath “for as long as he could” and may have also “struggled against his restraints.”
That’s false spin. Nitrogen air is just regular air minus oxygen, 78% of the air you breathe is nitrogen. He was suffocated to death simply put, he died of hypoxia. It would be like someone getting shot, but then taking 5-8 minutes to slowly die minus the immediate burning pain of a gun shot or sudden drop in consciousness from immediate/fast bleed out.
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.
I don’t believe in the death penalty first off its cheaper just to give someone life Imprisonment and second its morally wrong
… 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.
This 100% agree
How is it cheaper though? I don’t support death penalty, but I fail to see how it’s cheaper to keep them alive?
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.
even a brutal killer should have some rights
Dude, sincerely, fuck off.
His victim died far more painfully if that helps.
So an eye for an eye?
It does not. We are not animals.
Yes. We are. My god what happened to public schooling?
We are, in fact, animals. You need to dial back your notions of personal divinity.
Justice isn’t revenge.
Justice is giving what’s owed. And that’s a great thing to argue about: What did he owe? To the family, the victim, and society. The question would be easy if taking his life restored the life of the woman he murdered. But that’s not possible. However I have seen arguments that would require his death so organs could be harvested to save the life of others who would otherwise die. I’m not comfortable with that but do think that debate needs to happen.
Logical argument don’t work around here. These kids need to be outraged and there’s no stopping them.
“Logical”
For a sociopath maybe.
Good thing most of us live in a developed nation where we don’t try to take an eye for an eye, since that makes the whole world go blind. You can never be 100% certain they aren’t innocent.
I’m sorry, people are justifying the death penalty by fucking harvesting organs?
These are some serious dumbshits who don’t think two syllables past what they are saying.
First of all, there’s the obvious ethical dilemma of sentencing someone to death because someone important needs a kidney and they happen to have the same rare blood type. You just know that’s bound to happen eventually, and you know it’ll be covered up. More than likely it’d be some trumped up charge against a black inmate who already had a life sentence and no means for recourse.
Second, the majority of murderers are criminals. And a lot of criminals have a history of drug abuse, alcoholism, and other risk factors for communicable disease and excessive wear on their organs. 99% of the organs to come out of this mill would be totally useless. No surgeon in the world would touch them with a 15ft forceps.
God it’s make more sense to auction off their organs as trophies and give the proceeds to reputable charities. I’d pay good money to have a serial rapists balls in a jar on my mantle. Thats a hell of a conversation piece.
Are you fucking mad? You want to give the state an incentive to murder prisoners? What the fuck is wrong with you?
ALL COPS ARE BAD
I think we need to have the debate. If you murder someone, do you owe your life if it can save the life of another?
As a transplant recipient who is now listed for a second transplant.
Nobody wants the state to murder people to increase the supply of organs.
Stop couching your vengeance fantasies in altruism.
I think we need to have the debate.
Humans LONG before you had the debate already. Pick up a history book, please! You are not a unique snowflake with concepts this earth has never before thought about. Everything that rattles around in the paint-can on your neck has been debated for generations.
Find a major US newspaper who had addressed the debate any time in the past generation.
Never said it was.
False. He died far more painfully of hypoxia that took over 5 minutes and he was able to dread it coming for years.
Good.
A brutal killer should have no rights and should be killed brutally.
He wasn’t a brutal killer, he was hired to kill someone and did it out of greed. That’s actually not brutality. Brutality would be someone raping someone and then killing them for glee. The state in this case is doing this out of brutality, they are doing it because it brings enjoyment and their method of execution is quite brutal.
You sound like a republican
I don’t even live in America
Well you sound like the equivalent of a republican in your country probably a British conservative
Lmao guess again
Pray tell, what is your favourite method of execution?
Snu Snu
Guillotine
Firing squad, guillotine. Walk the plank.
As a general rule I tend to avoid killing people whenever possible
Obviously. It’s far too much work. That’s what I pay my executioners for.
From another report:
“It appeared that Smith was holding his breath as long as he could,” Hamm ( Alabama’s corrections commissioner) said at the press conference.
Well, that would certainly make things worse for the prisoner and the witnesses.
If that’s the case, then he wasn’t going to be unconscious in seconds, as it would be expected by breathing the gas.
Instead, he inadvertently caused himself a lot of unnecessary suffering.
That’s okay next time we’ll just run a tube down his throat! That’s not cruel at all!
Or maybe we put them in a room and fill it with the nitrogen gas. Some kind of… Chamber.
No no, too cruel. That would risk them hurting themselves when they fall over. We must strap them tightly in place upside down for security purposes, and then put a tube down (up?) their throat. And if we accidently put it down their food hole
then that’s just a bonusthen it was probably their fault for struggling.For the record, fuck the death penalty.
We do it for pigs! Except we use CO2, because it’s cheap and apparently we don’t give a fuck about pigs.
I’m a rancher and meat lover and still the fact that the slaughterhouse industry chooses to gas animals with CO2 disgusts me. On my farm we dispatch with a rifle shot to the brain, the animal is dead immediately.
Honestly that’s the choice I would take if I had to be executed. Though nitrogen gas is fine too, I used to do confined space work and have seen many examples about how you don’t even know that you’re dead.
It’s not really about the nitrogen. Earth’s atmosphere is 78% nitrogen already. It’s the absence of oxygen that’s fatal. Our bodies don’t sense a lack of oxygen, just a surplus of CO2. The idea is to remove all the oxygen and the CO2. It’s a slow suffocating process but, in theory, the subject would only experience falling asleep. Of course that assumes it’s done properly and the subject isn’t panicking, neither of which seem likely.
I think a mask, which I assume they used, is far better in this context. Just like being at the dentist.
But in medically assisted suicide, an injection is used (sometimes drugs that a patient can take themselves), and it is by far the most respectful, humane way to do it.
If a prisoner is going to hold their breath and make it worse than it needs to be, you can’t fault the method.
That said, the situation was still horrible from what’s been described.
If a natural human response messes up your execution, you should absolutely blame the method.
Do you try to hold your breath when you get gas at the dentist? It would be aweful.
You can’t control how some people are going to act.
Some faint when they see a needle, some vomiting when they are electrocuted. Some soil themselves before a hanging or firing squad.
I’m not saying I support execution or the method, but it’s obvious that this could have gone much smoother had the prisoner not try to intentionally hold their breath.
It quite literally should have been very relaxing, quick, and as respectful as you can expect for an execution.
Right, they were trying to not die. That is what everybody will do in this scenario. That’s the kind of thing that happens when you murder somebody, the victim is generally opposed to your plan, and so they typically do not do as you wish. An execution that plans to have the victim of it go along with the plan is simply idiotic.
If the person we’re killing struggles then it’s not our fault? Really? Did my sarcasm make you think I actually supported this bullshit?
If the person we’re killing struggles then it’s not our fault? Really?
I’m saying that in this specific case, if he was holding his breath, then it caused considerably more suffering than it needed to.
I’m offering an explanation as to why witnesses saw him struggle so much, not saying that one way is better than another… to execute someone is going to be horrible no matter how it happens.
It didn’t have to be at all though. We don’t have to keep doing this.
I don’t disagree.
personally i think we should start doing a slightly modified version of the traditional british canon execution.
For those who aren’t familar, you strap a dude to the front of a canon, with a dud charge (i don’t believe there is a projectile) and then set it off and run. Apparently it’s pretty “spectacular” I say we do the same thing but delete the head in the process. Or perhaps add a canon ball because why not.
If we’re executing people theres no need to pretend what we’re doing is “good”
Too expensive and dangerous. A 2-ton tungsten cube dropped on the head is quick, painless, cheap, and puts on a show that can be cleaned up with a power washer.
Apparently, getting compressed by seawater inside a collapsing carbon fibre tube at a depth of 8kms is ultra quick.
Maybe we should just force condemned prisoners to test-pilot oceangate submarines.
We’re going to adopt your proposal but all that’s in the budget is a 45 lb plate from a local gym that closed down. Next execution is scheduled for next week, we hope to see you there!
Tungsten is not cheap, also it might fracture
It costs about $1.25m to execute one person currently. 2 tons of tungsten costs $60k spot, $240k with government contract as a one-time purchase. If it were to become damaged, it can be recycled into a new state sanctioned penal murder cube. Given the price of tungsten will increase in value approximately 100% per decade, it is a viable government investment.
Elect me to be king of America. I will balance the budget and establish a stranger economy with a dollar backed by state sanctioned penal murder cubes and other innovative and cost-effective measures. We will all be equal in death and that is a promise you can count your votes on.
If it were to become damaged, it can be recycled into a new state sanctioned penal murder cube.
Lmao
I can’t agree with this, everyone knows you’re supposed to reuse before recycle. The murder cube will look way more badass with some chips and cracks in it
You act like running a country is hard. The only hard part of running America is hiding all your bribes.
Hello? It’s called “lobbying” and you don’t have to hide anything.
Under my administration I will have a website that will clearly show contributions to my throne with one of those donations thermometers that will be updated live and never surpass 7/8th full because the goal is always just a bit more money. Under it you will find about 10 clickbait unser-targeted ads, a leaderboard, loser board, and the last 10 donations. There will also be links to my Patreon, Venmo, CashApp, Fansly, and Onlyfans. I am all about transparency and honesty in my rule.
I will use those mandatory contributions to pay for universal healthcare and cutting edge wars of aggression against states with viable economic exploitation possibilities or usable land for battery factories to supply a green infinite rail system that services all major cities without using fossil-fuels to move people and goods.
tungsten isn’t cheap. look up the prices
and that’s a pretty small rod
That is a finished machined tungsten rod from a distributor, not a 15 cubic inch cube from a manufacturer. Metal rod is more costly to machine than billet.
Even extrapolating from that invalid example, volume of it would be 2.36 cu in. Volume of 2 tons of tungsten is roughly 3375 cu in. So the price of a 3375 cu in cube at the price of a 1/2x12 tungsten rod would be $594,028.60. Even at a half million per cube, or about $2 million in government spending contracts, the cost savings over just 2 executions is apparent given the $1.25-1.5m cost of one execution.
The cube is reusable and therefore environmentally friendly. We could end up dropping the same cube on generations of victims of state sponsored penal murders in multiple states instead of having to go through vet clinics or welding gas suppliers for unsustainable forms of capital punishment.
When the actual cost of a state sponsored murder cube is closer to $240k($30k per ton plus government contract pricing), it doesn’t make financial sense to continue our inhumane state sponsored murder techniques as we do. In 2023 the prison system has murdered 24 people, which cost roughly $30 million dollars of wasted tax-payer dollars. With the Capital Punishment Cube, we could have saved the tax-payers over $25 million by using only 4 cubes plus transport(<$5 per 1000 miles) and powerwashing($200/hr).
Sentencing the probably rightfully convicted to capitol punishment by state sponsored murder cubes is cheaper, more reliable, more humane, more sustainable, and more environmentally friendly. We owe it to the future generations to enact the changes that will make for a better world; state sponsored penal murder cubes are the change we need to make in order provide that better world for the children.
Capital Punishment Cubes are the future of a humane and green justice system.
actually, i like this idea. I think someone else mentioned just dropping a massive concrete cube on people for execution. It’s a funny one for sure.
Concrete spall would be too dangerous. Trust the tungsten state sponsored murder cube; it is the death of the future, today!
just makes it more exciting :)
Have you no concern for safety? Somebody could be hurt.
humans love danger! It’s what we’ve been doing since the dawn of time!
We are talking about a legal murder here. We don’t want any chance that somebody could be hurt. If people want to experience danger, they can play Russian roulette, budget skydive, fly on a Boeing, go to school in America, drive while black, try drugs from China, speed in New York on a motorcycle, explore abandoned buildings and eat the paint, become an amateur arborist, deliver pizzas, be a woman, own a tiger or chimpanzee, take a firearms self-defense course run by a balding guy with a ponytail, or compete in Gol/Nanggol.
There is no need for someone to be uselessly harmed at a state execution! We live in a sane society.
I imagine that a two ton cube of anything would probably work.
Tungsten is very dense. It is space efficient.
A two ton cube of mattress foam probably wouldnt. But there is literally only one way to know for sure
Let me suggest duck beaks.
Ahh, 2 tons of duck beaks actually aren’t heavy enough, actually
Only if they eat glitter as part of their last meal.
