TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — While all inmates on Death Row share a common fate, the means by which they meet it can vary significantly in their degree of suffering. In 2022, executions across nine U.S. states claimed the lives of 25 men, often in response to horrific crimes, including murder. Lethal injection remains the predominant execution method in the U.S., with approximately 1,000 executions carried out since the 1970s, employing a combination of three drugs intended to induce unconsciousness and cardiac arrest. However, a troubling trend of botched lethal injections—resulting in painful and prolonging deaths—has caused some states to revisit older, more controversial methods.
Before lethal injection became the standard practice, the electric chair was commonly used, delivering a severe electric shock that rendered the body incapacitated. In a notable return to such methods, Alabama executed Brad Sigmon by firing squad earlier this year, marking the first time this method had been employed in 15 years. Sigmon’s execution involved being restrained in a chair with a target affixed to his chest, while three guards fired simultaneously from a distance. Reports indicated that Sigmon was declared dead within minutes.
Just weeks later, another South Carolina inmate, Mikal Mahdi, opted for the firing squad, which has roots dating back to 1608. Despite its brutal reputation, some argue it may result in a swifter death. Medical experts suggest that the sudden loss of blood pressure could lead to rapid unconsciousness, akin to an extreme chokehold. However, a court in South Carolina once referred to this execution method as “torturous,” citing potential faunal suffering, as significant damage occurs to critical organs before the inmate becomes unconscious.
Nitrogen hypoxia is another method that has garnered attention for its controversial nature. This execution technique involves the use of pure nitrogen gas to cause death by suffocation. Critics, including human rights advocates, claim that this approach inflicts unnecessary suffering on the condemned. The inhalation of nitrogen in high concentrations has been associated with feelings of panic and distress, as body functions fail and consciousness slips away. Kenneth Smith was the first inmate executed with nitrogen gas last year, and witnesses described a harrowing scene where he convulsed and vomited before succumbing after an agonizing 22 minutes.
Lethal injection, despite its prevalence, is fraught with complications as well. With 1,377 lethal injections performed since the method’s introduction in 1977, medical experts have raised alarms regarding the potential for severe pain during the procedure. In particular, the use of potassium chloride is known to induce intense pain, akin to that felt when experiencing severe burns—raising ethical questions about the sanctity of the method itself.
While hanging was once a primary method of execution in the U.S., it has fallen out of favor and is currently legal only in Washington state under specific conditions. The last hanging occurred in 1996, but improperly executed hangings can result in prolonged agony rather than the conveniently swift demise originally intended.
The electric chair, a method introduced in the late 19th century, remains shrouded in horror stories of gruesome fatalities. The procedure, involving high-voltage electrocution, has led to catastrophic failures in execution, causing excruciating suffering and, at times, igniting fires on the condemned. As states vary in their approaches to capital punishment, the ethical implications and execution methods remain a highly contentious debate.
With calls for reform and greater scrutiny surrounding these practices, the conversation about the morality of capital punishment in the United States continues to evolve. The question of whether any execution method can be deemed humane persists as advocates for human rights push for a reevaluation of these archaic practices, seeking more humane alternatives.