• shalafi@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    2 months ago

    If we’re going to execute people, why can we not make a simple gas chamber and flood it with nitrogen gas? Simple, cheap, foolproof, no legal hassles about suffering or cruel and unusual punishment.

    • nelly_man@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      1 month ago

      They have performed a handful executions using nitrogen gas over the last few years in Mississippi and Alabama. From what I understand, the people have all shown signs of distress and oxygen hunger during the executions, and the autopsies show signs of distress.

      I think the pathologist that reviewed the first such execution had said that it would likely have gone better if a sedative were administered beforehand. However, I’m pretty sure that nitrogen hypoxia executions were being used because pharmaceutical companies were unwilling to provide medications for use in legal injections, so that would likely extend to sedatives for use during executions. But in the absence of sedatives, the process is panic inducing, which causes people to resist inhaling the nitrogen, which in turn means that they are not exhaling as much carbon dioxide and thus experience the panic associated with suffocation.

      • chaogomu@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        2 months ago

        Nitrogen only atmospheres actually kill fairly quickly, and without any warning.

        That’s what makes industrial nitrogen accidents so terrifying.

        The pain of suffocating is mostly your body fighting to get rid of CO2.

        Now, there was a prison that recently used “nitrogen” to execute someone. But they were dumbasses with it and didn’t let the excess nitrogen and CO2 vent. It was exactly the same as just tying a bag over the guys head.

      • Trainguyrom@reddthat.com
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        1 month ago

        On take your daughter to work day of all days?!

        Edit: Tired brain mixed up neurotoxin and nerve gas