Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has announced that the state will carry out its third death sentence using nitrogen gas on November 21. This marks the third instance in the country where nitrogen gas has been chosen as the method of execution, all of which have occurred in Alabama.
The upcoming execution is for Carey Dale Grayson, aged 49, who was convicted in the 1994 killing of 37-year-old Vickie Deblieux. Grayson was one of four teenagers involved in the crime.
Alabama made history in January by becoming the first state to use nitrogen gas for an execution. This method was employed in the case of convicted killer Kenneth Smith, who had previously survived an execution attempt by lethal injection in 2022. Smith's execution using nitrogen gas was met with criticism, with witnesses reporting signs of distress during the process.
Another individual, Alan Eugene Miller, is scheduled for execution by nitrogen gas on September 26. Miller had also survived a previous execution attempt by lethal injection in 2022 and reached a settlement agreement with the state regarding the execution protocol.
Grayson, who is currently challenging the constitutionality of Alabama's nitrogen gas protocol, has raised concerns about the potential pain and suffering associated with this method. His attorneys argue that the process may lead to unconstitutional levels of pain, citing previous executions as evidence.
The case dates back to 1994 when Grayson and three other teenagers were involved in the brutal killing of Vickie Deblieux. While two of the teenagers had their death sentences overturned due to their age at the time of the crime, Grayson, who was 19 at the time, was sentenced to death and is now facing execution.
As the state prepares for another execution using nitrogen gas, the debate over the humaneness and legality of this method continues to be a topic of contention in the criminal justice system.
