After a 15-year hiatus, Louisiana has executed a prisoner using nitrogen gas, marking only the second time this controversial method has been used in the United States. Jessie Hoffman Jr., convicted of murdering a woman in 1996, was executed at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola on Tuesday. The procedure lasted 19 minutes and was described by officials as "flawless."
Hoffman's legal team attempted to halt the execution, arguing it violated his constitutional rights, including his ability to practice Buddhism during his final moments. However, both a state district court and the U.S. Supreme Court denied these last-minute appeals.
Hoffman’s attorney, Cecelia Kappel, criticized the execution as "senseless," highlighting Hoffman's personal growth and redemption over the years. She emphasized the negative impact on Hoffman's family, the prison staff, and the community.
Hoffman, who had embraced Buddhism in 2002, argued that the execution method conflicted with his religious practices. His lawyers contended that the sensation of suffocation from nitrogen hypoxia would disrupt the meditative breathing crucial to his faith at the time of death.
Louisiana chose nitrogen hypoxia due to difficulties in obtaining lethal injection drugs. The state developed its own execution facility after studying Alabama's use of the method. Concerns have been raised about the potential for prolonged suffering if the procedure is not executed correctly.
Attorney General Liz Murrill stated that the execution delivered justice for the victim, Mary "Molly" Elliott, and her family. She suggested that the state might expedite future executions, emphasizing a commitment to justice for crime victims.
Hoffman was 18 when he kidnapped and murdered Elliott, an advertising executive, in 1996. During his trial, prosecutors highlighted his lack of mercy, which they argued warranted the death penalty. Elliott's husband, Andy, expressed indifference toward the death penalty but acknowledged the prolonged uncertainty over the years.
Critics of nitrogen hypoxia, including the Louisiana coalition Jews Against Gassing, have condemned the method, drawing parallels to historical atrocities. Hoffman's execution is one of several scheduled in the U.S. this week, including a lethal injection in Arizona.