The United States saw two more executions this week, bringing the total to 18 for the year, including five in the last week. One man was put to death by lethal injection in Oklahoma, while Alabama controversially used nitrogen gas to carry out its second such execution.
In Oklahoma, 52-year-old Emmanuel Littlejohn was executed for the 1992 murder of Kenneth Meers during a convenience store robbery. Littlejohn admitted being present but denied firing the fatal shot, blaming his accomplice, Glenn Bethany, who received a life sentence. Despite a recommendation from the State Board of Pardons for clemency in August, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt declined to intervene. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond declared, “Justice has been served.”
Meanwhile, Alabama executed Alan Miller, 59, using nitrogen gas. Miller was convicted of killing three coworkers in a 1999 workplace shooting spree. The state’s use of nitrogen hypoxia has been heavily criticized. Miller reportedly struggled against the restraints on the gurney and shook for two minutes as the gas took effect. This execution method was first used in January, sparking concerns from human rights groups and international bodies, including the United Nations, which compared it to torture.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey refused to grant clemency, and a previous attempt to execute Miller by lethal injection in 2022 was abandoned due to technical difficulties. Nitrogen hypoxia remains a controversial method, with critics citing its unpredictability and potential for suffering.
The death penalty is currently abolished in 23 US states, with six others observing a moratorium on executions. The ongoing debate over execution methods, particularly nitrogen gas, has only intensified following these recent cases.
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