Supreme Court prohibits Alabama from using nitrogen gas for execution

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: NPR

Supreme Court prohibits Alabama from using nitrogen gas for execution

June 11, 2026 9:39 PM ET
By Grady Martin, Nina Totenberg


The Supreme Court
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

The Supreme Court ruled late Thursday evening that Alabama cannot immediately execute a man using nitrogen gas. The decision upheld a lower court order that had blocked the execution on grounds that the use of nitrogen gas violates the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

In a one-sentence order, the high court ruled that Alabama's request "was denied." Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch would have sided with Alabama, but they did not prepare a written dissent.

The decision is a victory—albeit a temporary one—for Jeffery Lee, who was convicted of a 1998 double murder. Lee was scheduled to die on July 11. He challenged the method of execution, contending that nitrogen gas forces someone to undergo many minutes of painful suffocation.

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Read more: https://www.npr.org/2026/06/11/nx-s1-5855742/supreme-court-alabama-execution

[SalamanderSleeps]

1. One of the founding principles of our country is that no citizen should ever fear the state.

Regardless of the method, capital punishment is frightening.

[Igel]

5. Ever get a notice that you're being audited? n/t

[Orrex]

2. I"m amazed that the reichwing SCOTUS didn't demand a more cruel and usual punishment

[3Hotdogs]

4. Alito was for stoning.

Clarance was for the less humane method of tying the criminal to a pole, pouring honey over him and letting ants pick his skin. This method would be more towards the cruel end but would save Alabama burial expenses since all organic material except bones would be gone,

Gorsuch was for bringing back the guillotine as being the most expedient and therefore, less cruel. Also, it would save money for the Republican states. Ya build one instrument and you can Fed Ex it to where and when it is needed. You sharpen the blade every 6 executions. So whichever state holds the 6th execution, they gotta pay someone to take it apart, sharpen the blade and put it back together again.

Since none of those options were available in the majority opinion, that's why the three offered no dissent.

[J_William_Ryan]

3. Alabama - America's third world country.

To be fair, this is most of the South – the barbaric, depraved desire for cruelty and death.

[QueerDuck]

6. How about simply prohibiting executions?

[ToxMarz]

7. While I'm not in favor of the death penalty, there must be a multitude of painless execution methods.

Is it just that they are opposed to the idea of a painless execution and can't get the right measure to satisfy their blood thirst without going overboard.