Louisiana to execute prisoner using nitrogen gas which is banned for animal euthanasia

The US state of Louisiana is set to carry out its first execution in 15 years using nitrogen gas, a method that is banned under the state’s own laws for euthanizing cats and dogs.

Unless the US Supreme Court intervenes, Jessie Hoffman, a 46-year-old prisoner, is scheduled to be executed in Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola Prison.

Hoffman was sentenced to death for the 1996 rape and murder of advertising executive Mary Elliott.

If the execution proceeds, Louisiana will become only the second US state to use nitrogen gas for capital punishment.

Photo: Jessie Hoffman/ Jessie Hoffman legal team

Why Is nitrogen gas controversial?

Nitrogen gas causes death by suffocation, depriving the body of oxygen in a process called hypoxia. The method has been widely criticized as inhumane, even for animals.

• The American Veterinary Medical Association states that nitrogen should not be used to euthanize conscious animals because they experience extreme distress before death.
• Louisiana law explicitly bans nitrogen gas for euthanizing cats and dogs due to its inhumane nature.
• A veterinarian in Louisiana, Dr. Lee Capone, recalled witnessing dogs being gassed in the 1980s and described it as horrific, with the animals showing fear, distress, and signs of suffering before they died.

Concerns over past executions using nitrogen gas

Louisiana’s decision follows four recent executions in Alabama using the same method. Witnesses described disturbing scenes:

• Kenneth Smith was seen shaking violently, writhing, and convulsing as he was forced to inhale nitrogen.
• Alan Miller, another prisoner, shook and trembled for about two minutes before dying.

Critics argue that nitrogen gas causes immense suffering, making it a cruel and unusual punishment under international human rights standards.

Legal challenges and secret preparations

Hoffman was granted a temporary reprieve last week by a federal judge. However, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, one of the most conservative courts in the US, overturned the stay on Friday, clearing the way for the execution.

Legal documents have revealed photographs from inside Louisiana’s execution chamber, showing:

• A blue industrial-style mask placed on the execution gurney alongside leather straps and handcuffs.
• Pipes leading to nitrogen gas canisters, indicating how the lethal gas will be delivered

Did Louisiana obtain execution gas illegally?

Last year, three major US suppliers of medical-grade nitrogen—Airgas, Air Products, and Matheson Gas—banned the use of their products for executions.

Despite this, court documents show that Louisiana has acquired nitrogen gas produced by Airgas, a company owned by the French multinational Air Liquide. This appears to violate Airgas’ own policy, which explicitly forbids supplying gas for executions.

The Guardian contacted Airgas for comment, but the company has yet to respond.

Growing international concern over US execution methods

The use of nitrogen gas for executions is drawing global criticism, with human rights groups and medical professionals warning against the suffering it causes. Many see Louisiana’s decision as a step backward in human rights, especially considering that its use is banned for animals in the same state.

The fate of Jessie Hoffman now depends on last-minute legal appeals or intervention from the US Supreme Court before the execution scheduled for Tuesday.