Supreme Court declines to halt first US nitrogen-gas execution in Alabama case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a bid to halt Alabama from proceeding with the nation's first execution using nitrogen gas to carry out the death penalty on convicted murderer Kenneth Smith, who survived a botched lethal injection in 2022 that helped prompt a review of the state's death penalty procedures.

The justices denied Smith's request to stay his execution - scheduled for Thursday - and declined to hear his legal challenge contending that a second execution attempt by Alabama - after the first failed attempt caused him severe trauma - would violate the U.S. Constitution Eighth Amendment's protections against cruel and unusual punishment.