Alabama carried out the nation’s third execution using nitrogen gas Thursday evening.
The state executed Carey Dale Grayson, 50, at 6 p.m. CST. / 7 p.m. EST. Authorities condemned him to death for the 1994 killing of 37-year-old Vickie Deblieux.
After the prison warden read the death warrant, the warden pointed the microphone at Grayson for his final words.
“For you, you need to f*** off,” Grayson said, according to Al.com.
The Alabama Department of Corrections released details of Grayson’s final meals and visitors obtained by Alabama Real-Time News.
Grayson refused the breakfast and lunch trays but drank coffee and Mountain Dew. He requested a seafood platter, soft tacos, beef burritos, tostada, chips with guacamole and a Mountain Dew Blast from local restaurants for his final meal.
Grayson received visits from his attorneys Matt Schulz, Kacey Keeton, and Robin Konrad. He also spoke with Konrad and Keeton on the phone, the outlet reported.
Grayson’s attorneys tried to block his execution, arguing the nitrogen hypoxia method inflicts unconstitutional levels of pain. However, the U.S. Supreme Court denied their request early Thursday afternoon.
What Crime Did Carey Dale Grayson Commit?
Grayson, one of four teenagers convicted in the 1994 murder of Deblieux in Jefferson County, received a death sentence. Prosecutors said Deblieux, hitchhiking from Tennessee to Louisiana, accepted a ride from the teens, who instead drove her to a remote wooded area, attacked her, threw her off a cliff, and mutilated her body.
Grayson remains the only member of the group still facing a death sentence. The U.S. Supreme Court commuted the sentences of two other teens after ruling against the execution of individuals under 18 at the time of their crimes. Grayson was 19.
What Is The Nitrogen Gas Execution Method?
The nitrogen gas execution method involves fitting a respirator mask over the inmate’s face, and replacing breathable air with pure nitrogen to induce death by oxygen deprivation. Critics argue Alabama’s protocol may not deliver the swift death it claims, raising concerns over potential suffering.
In January, Kenneth Smith became the first person in the U.S. to be executed using nitrogen gas, followed by Alan Miller in September. Media witnesses, including reporters from The Associated Press, described the men convulsing on the gurney for over two minutes. These movements were followed by labored breaths, marked by prolonged pauses, lasting several minutes.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker Jr. rejected a legal challenge to stop Alabama from using nitrogen gas to execute Grayson. The challenge argued the method might be unconstitutional or unlawful, but the judge ruled against it.
“Evidence concerning what actually happened, or what eyewitnesses observed during the Smith execution, was conflicting and inconsistent,” Huffaker said. “But what that evidence did show was that the nitrogen hypoxia protocol was successful and resulted in death in less than 10 minutes and loss of consciousness in even less time.”
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