The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Alabama’s attempt to carry out an execution using nitrogen gas, following a lower court ruling deeming the method unconstitutional. In a 6-3 vote, the justices upheld an injunction preventing the state from proceeding with the ninth nitrogen gas execution in the nation, thereby sparing death row inmate Jeffery Lee, 49, from facing death that night.
Alabama Department of Corrections confirmed the cancellation of the execution for the evening, with no plans to pursue an alternative method. Governor Kay Ivey expressed disappointment but emphasized the commitment to serving justice for the victims despite the court’s decision.
Lee’s legal team welcomed the outcome, highlighting the jury’s initial recommendation of a life sentence, which was overruled by a judge. The team emphasized the victory for constitutional rights, urging Governor Ivey to honor the jury’s verdict of life without parole.
The legal battle surrounding the execution method culminated in the Supreme Court’s decision, with conflicting rulings from lower courts on the constitutionality of Alabama’s nitrogen gas protocol. The state’s stance on the method’s humaneness was challenged, leading to the injunction against the execution.
While Lee did not request a final meal, prison officials disclosed his last snacks before the potential execution. The state retains the option to proceed with other approved methods such as the electric chair or lethal injection, with uncertainties regarding the swiftness of a transition.
Alabama introduced nitrogen gas as an execution method in 2024, involving the use of pure nitrogen to induce death through oxygen deprivation. Previous executions using nitrogen gas in the state raised concerns about the level of suffering experienced by inmates, prompting legal scrutiny and debate over the constitutionality of the method.
Lee, currently held at William C. Holman Correctional Facility, was convicted of capital murder for a 1998 pawnshop robbery resulting in the deaths of two individuals. The case has drawn attention to judicial discretion in sentencing, with calls from prominent figures to reconsider Lee’s fate in accordance with the jury’s initial decision for a life sentence.