"Controversy Surrounds Alabama's First Nitrogen Gas Execution"
Alabama is set to execute death row inmate Kenneth Smith using nitrogen gas, a method rejected by veterinarians for causing distress and panic in animals. The UN and veterinary authorities have expressed alarm over the proposed execution, which lacks an initial sedative. Smith's failed execution in 2022 has left him with profound trauma, and evidence from animal experiments suggests potential issues with using nitrogen as a killing method. International pressure is mounting as the execution date approaches.