March 24, 2024

‘What I wish I’d told Kenny’ (before his Nitrogen execution)

Alabama death row inmate, Kenny Smith, made history in a way that he never wanted. He became the first prisoner in the US to be executed using a method known as nitrogen hypoxia.

Kenny Smith died from a lack of oxygen to his brain.

Eye-witness accounts of his death show a man experiencing a prolonged and clearly very disturbing death, at least as far as those who were watching on were concerned.

Yet nitrogen hypoxia does not need to be like this.

If a person wants to die and is willing to undertake a few simple techniques (and does not use a facemask) the process can be very peaceful and reliable.

This podcast features Philip Nitschke in conversation with Fiona Stewart.