US appeals court raises concerns about Alabama’s use of nitrogen gas for executions

A federal appeals court has ruled that Alabama’s use of nitrogen gas to put prisoners to death needs more study of whether it violates a constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Monday's decision comes days before a scheduled execution Thursday in the state planned by that method. Nitrogen gas was first used in 2024 for an execution in Alabama. The method involves strapping a respirator to the person’s face and replacing breathable air with pure nitrogen gas. A lawsuit challenging the...