Alabama Carries Out Its 5th Nitrogen Gas Execution 5m4d

An Alabama man convicted of killing a woman in 1988 was put to death Tuesday evening in the nation's sixth execution by nitrogen gas, the AP reports. Gregory Hunt, 65, was pronounced dead at 6:26pm at a south Alabama prison, authorities said, one of four executions scheduled this week in the United States. Hunt was convicted of capital murder for the killing of Karen Lane, who was 32 when she was killed on Aug. 2, 1988, in the Cordova apartment she shared with another woman in Walker County. The execution method involves forcing an inmate to breathe pure nitrogen gas, depriving them of the oxygen needed to stay alive. 4h47l

Strapped to a gurney with a blue-rimmed mask covering his entire face, Hunt gave no final words but appeared to give a thumbs-up sign and a peace sign with his fingers. The gas began flowing sometime after 5:55pm, but it was not clear exactly when. At 5:57pm Hunt briefly shook, gasped, and raised his head off the gurney. He let out a moan at about 5:59pm and raised his feet. He took a series of four or more gasping breaths with long pauses in between, and made no visible movements after 6:05pm. The shaking movements and gasps were similar to previous nitrogen executions in Alabama. The state says the movements are expected, but critics say they show that the execution method does not provide a quick death.

Hunt had dated Lane for about a month. Prosecutors said that after becoming enraged with jealousy, he broke into Lane's apartment and sexually abused her and beat her to death, inflicting 60 injuries on her body. Jurors convicted him in 1990 and recommended a death sentence by an 11-1 vote. Several of Lane's relatives witnessed the execution, Hamm said. The family said in a statement that the night was not about Hunt's life but rather the "horrific death of Karen Sanders Lane, whose life was so savagely taken from her." They said Hunt showed her no mercy in 1988. Last year Alabama became the first state to carry out an execution with nitrogen gas. The method has now been used in six executions—five in Alabama and one in Louisiana.

(More execution stories.)