The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Alabama’s attempt to proceed with an execution using nitrogen gas, following a lower court’s ruling deeming the method unconstitutional. The justices upheld an injunction preventing the state from carrying out the ninth execution by nitrogen gas in the country, thereby saving death row inmate Jeffery Lee, 49, from imminent execution by that means.
Alabama’s Department of Corrections confirmed the execution cancellation for the evening, with no alternative method planned. The Supreme Court’s 6-3 vote, without detailed explanation, halted the execution. However, three conservative justices expressed dissent, advocating for lifting the injunction to proceed with the execution.
Governor Kay Ivey expressed disappointment in the Supreme Court’s decision but emphasized the commitment to ensuring justice for the victims. Lee’s legal team welcomed the ruling, highlighting the jury’s initial life sentence recommendation, which was overruled by a judge.
The legal dispute over the constitutionality of the execution method culminated in the Supreme Court’s decision. Lee had challenged Alabama’s protocol as cruel and unusual punishment, leading to conflicting court rulings. Ultimately, the Supreme Court intervened to block the execution.
While Lee did not request a final meal before the canceled execution, he had snacks and drinks. The possibility remains for the state to proceed with other approved execution methods, such as the electric chair or lethal injection.
Alabama introduced nitrogen gas for executions in 2024, which involves replacing breathable air with pure nitrogen to induce death. Previous executions using this method raised concerns about the suffering endured by inmates. The state defends the method’s constitutionality, asserting it causes no more suffering than other methods.
Lee, convicted of capital murder for a pawnshop robbery in 1998, had his jury’s life sentence recommendation overridden by a judge. Bestselling author John Grisham urged Governor Ivey to honor the jury’s decision and commute Lee’s sentence to life without parole, emphasizing the importance of jury determinations in sentencing.