Louisiana carried out its first execution in 15 years on Tuesday evening, using nitrogen gas to execute Jessie Hoffman Jr., aged 46. This marks only the fifth time nitrogen gas has been used for an execution in the United States, with Alabama being the only other state to have used this method.
Governor Jeff Landry stated that society cannot tolerate violent acts and that such crimes will result in the ultimate penalty. Hoffman chose not to make a final statement before the gas was administered, and he was declared dead at 6:50 p.m. at Louisiana State Penitentiary. The execution, described as "flawless" by officials, lasted 19 minutes, though a witness noted that Hoffman convulsed during the process.
Hoffman's legal team had attempted to stop the execution, arguing that the method violated the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment and infringed on Hoffman's religious rights as a Buddhist. However, state officials argue that the method is painless and necessary to fulfill justice for victims' families after a long pause in executions. Attorney General Liz Murrill anticipates more executions on Louisiana's death row this year.
Despite multiple legal challenges, including a temporary restraining order and a federal injunction, the execution proceeded after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene. Hoffman was convicted for the 1996 murder of Mary "Molly" Elliott in New Orleans.
Under Louisiana's protocol, similar to Alabama's, Hoffman was secured to a gurney with a respirator mask delivering pure nitrogen, leading to oxygen deprivation. The gas was administered for at least 15 minutes or until his heart rate flatlined.
Alabama first used nitrogen gas for execution last year, marking a new method since lethal injection began in 1982. Louisiana's legislature recently expanded execution methods to include nitrogen hypoxia and electrocution, alongside lethal injection.
A small group of protesters held a vigil outside the prison, distributing prayer cards and planning a Buddhist reading. Nationally, executions have decreased due to legal challenges, drug shortages, and declining public support, leading many states to halt or abolish the death penalty. Hoffman was the seventh person executed in the U.S. in 2025.