By Alabama executed Alan Eugene Miller, 59, on Thursday evening using nitrogen hypoxia, marking the second time this controversial method has been employed in the United States. Miller, convicted of killing three men in 1999, was pronounced dead at 6:38 p.m. at a prison in Atmore, according to Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm.
The execution process, closely watched due to ongoing debates about its humaneness, lasted approximately 15 minutes. Witnesses reported that Miller shook and trembled on the gurney for about two minutes, followed by six minutes of periodic gasping breaths. In his final statement, partially muffled by the gas mask, Miller maintained his innocence, saying, “I didn’t do anything to be in here.”
Commissioner Hamm confirmed that the execution proceeded as planned, stating, “Everything went according to plan and according to our protocol.” He addressed the observed physical reactions, noting, “There’s going to be involuntary body movements as the body is depleted of oxygen. That is nothing we did not expect.”
Miller’s case had a complex legal history. Initially requesting death by nitrogen hypoxia, he faced a failed lethal injection attempt in September 2022. After challenging the state’s nitrogen hypoxia protocol in federal court, Miller reached a confidential settlement last month.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey commented on the execution, saying, “Tonight, justice was finally served for these three victims through the execution method elected by the inmate.”
The use of nitrogen hypoxia remains controversial. Proponents argue it’s more humane than other methods, but medical experts express uncertainty about consciousness loss during the process. The United Nations has condemned the method as “State-sanctioned torture.”
Miller was convicted in 2000 for the 1999 murders of Lee Holdbrooks, Scott Yancy, and Terry Lee Jarvis, former coworkers he believed had spread rumors about him. The killings occurred at two separate workplaces on August 5, 1999.
This execution reignites debates about capital punishment methods and their constitutionality. While Alabama is currently the only state to have used nitrogen hypoxia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Mississippi have also authorized its use.
