a new method of capital punishment in# the execution of an Alabama prisoner.

Kenneth Eugene Smith was convicted# of a murder-for-hire scheme in 1988,## and he survived a botched execution attempt# in 2022.

For the second and final execution,## the state opted for a never-before-used# nitrogen gas method, despite concerns## voiced by several human rights groups and# the U.N. that it could amount to torture.

We're joined now by NPR's Chiara Eisner,# who's been reporting on this story.

So, Chiara, Alabama tried to execute Smith# first by lethal injection two years ago,## but was unable to find a vein before the state's## death warrant expired.

Why did# they turn to nitrogen suff CHIARA EISNER, NPR: So, in 2022, Kenneth# Smith's execution was botched in that way.

They were not able to ultimately# execute him.

But that was the third## execution that year that was botched in# a similar way.

So the state struggled## repeatedly with lethal injection.

And# after Kenneth Smith's failed execution,## his lawyers argued that they should never# try to use that method on him again.

And they advocated for the second# method of execution that's legal## in Alabama.

The secondary method# is nitrogen gas.

So that's the## other approved method.

And that was# what was available as an alternative.

GEOFF BENNETT: Smith's spiritual# adviser condemned this method of## execution while speaking to reporters last night.

REV.

JEFF HOOD, Spiritual Adviser to# Kenneth Eugene S in two or three seconds.

We didn't see# somebody go unconscious in 30 seconds.

What we saw was minutes of# someone struggling for their## life.

I stood there and cried while I# saw someone get suffocated to death.

GEOFF BENNETT: So, Chiara, what exactly# transpired during this execution?

CHIARA EISNER: So we heard from multiple# media witnesses that Smith was awake,## conscious at least for multiple minutes.# We heard that he was writhing and gasping## for multiple minutes.

And the entire# thing seemed to take around 22 minutes,## which was significantly longer# than what a lot of people expected.

GEOFF BENNETT: And we should say# that Smith was convicted of beating## 45-year-old Elizabeth Sennett to death with# a fireplace The victim's son, Mike Sennett,# also spoke to the media last night.

MIKE SENNETT, Murder Victim's Son: It's kind of a## bitt hooray and all that.

That's not us.# But we're glad this day is over.

Kenneth Smith made some bad decisions 35# years ago.

And his debt was paid tonight.

GEOFF BENNETT: So looking ahead, as I understand# it, Oklahoma and Mississippi have also approved## the use of nitrogen gas for execution.

Is there# an expectation that other states will follow suit?

CHIARA EISNER: I think a lot of people# were looking at what happened last night## and seeing whether it is a viable# alternative.

Lethal injection has## not been a viable alternative for many states.

The drugs have been difficult to obtain# after pharmaceutical compani and unanimously objected to their drugs# being used to kill people.

That's made## it very difficult for states to# obtain those drugs and to execute## their prisoners with them.

And people# are looking for alternative methods.

We have seen the death penalty decrease in# popularity in the amount of executions that## are going on, but it's not stopping, by# any means.

There are multiple executions## scheduled for this year and multiple# executions scheduled in Oklahoma,## where, like you said, nitrogen gas# is an approved method of execution.

GEOFF BENNETT: NPR investigative reporter# Chiara Eisner, thank you for being with CHIARA EISNER: Thank you.