In Louisiana, Jessie Hoffman Jr., 46, awaits execution for the 1996 rape and murder of Mary “Molly” Elliott. His scheduled execution on March 18 will mark the state’s first use of nitrogen hypoxia, a controversial method that has sparked legal battles and ethical concerns.
Hoffman was 18 when he abducted Elliott at gunpoint from a New Orleans parking garage, later assaulting and killing her. Convicted in 1998, he has spent decades on death row. Now, as his execution date nears, debate surrounds the use of nitrogen gas, a process in which pure nitrogen replaces oxygen, leading to suffocation.
Legal challenges temporarily halted the execution. On March 12, U.S. District Court Judge Shelly Dick ruled in favor of a preliminary injunction, citing concerns that nitrogen hypoxia could violate the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment, per USA Today.
The ruling referenced disturbing reports from Alabama, the only state to have used the method, where executed inmates reportedly thrashed violently before dying. However, just two days later, a federal appeals court reversed the decision, clearing the way for the execution to proceed.
Meanwhile, photos from the Louisiana State Penitentiary reveal the equipment, a full-face mask linked to gas lines, with additional restraints. Opposition has grown, with gas manufacturers like Airgas refusing to supply nitrogen for executions.
Jessie Hoffman’s legal team argues the process will cause extreme distress due to his PTSD and claustrophobia. He has personally requested an alternative method, but with the court’s latest ruling, Louisiana appears set to proceed with its first execution in 15 years.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
