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April 20, 2015

Oklahoma Approves Untested Use of Nitrogen Gas for Executions 
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Oklahoma has become the first U.S. state to approve the untested use of
nitrogen gas for executions. A new law signed by Governor Mary Fallin
establishes gas as a backup method if lethal injection drugs are
unavailable, or if that method is blocked by a court. Nitrogen gas works
by depriving the body of oxygen. It's banned for use on animals in some
states, and there is no record of it ever being used to execute humans.
Executions remain on hold in Oklahoma as the Supreme Court considers its
three-drug lethal injection method following the botched execution of
Clayton Lockett, who took 43 minutes to die.

 

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