A 46-year-old man convicted of rape and murder is set to be executed by nitrogen gas in Louisiana on Tuesday, marking the state’s first execution in 15 years.
Jessie Hoffman was sentenced to death for the 1996 murder of 28-year-old advertising executive Molly Elliott.
A district court judge had initially blocked the execution last week, arguing that using nitrogen gas could amount to cruel and unusual punishment, which is prohibited by the US Constitution.
However, the conservative-leaning US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the ruling, allowing the execution to move forward.
Nitrogen hypoxia, which involves suffocating the prisoner by pumping nitrogen gas into a facemask, has only been used once before in the US — in Alabama.
The method has been criticized by UN experts as cruel.
Hoffman’s Conviction
Hoffman, a parking lot attendant, was convicted in 1998 for kidnapping Elliott in New Orleans as she was heading to her car to meet her husband for dinner.
He forced her to withdraw $200 from an ATM before raping her and fatally shooting her in the head.
Elliott’s nude body was found the next day by a duck hunter on a dock along the Middle Pearl River. Hoffman was 18 at the time of the crime.
Religious Challenge
Hoffman’s lawyers have appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the nitrogen gas method would interfere with his ability to practice Buddhist meditative breathing.
Cecelia Kappel, one of his attorneys, said prisoners have the right to practice their religion even during execution.
She added that Louisiana could use other methods that wouldn’t disrupt Hoffman’s meditation.
Other Scheduled Executions
Three other executions are planned in the US this week. In Arizona, Aaron Gunches, 53, is scheduled to die by lethal injection on Wednesday for the 2002 murder of Ted Price, his girlfriend’s ex-husband. Gunches has not fought the execution, which will be the state’s first since November 2022.
In Oklahoma, Wendell Grissom, 56, is set to be executed by lethal injection on Thursday for the 2005 shooting death of Amber Matthews during a home robbery.
In Florida, Edward James, 63, is scheduled for execution on Thursday for the 1993 rape and murder of eight-year-old Toni Neuner and the murder of her 58-year-old grandmother, Betty Dick.
Death Penalty in the US
There have been six executions in the US this year, following 25 last year.
The death penalty has been abolished in 23 states, while California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania have placed moratoriums on its use.
Former President Donald Trump has supported expanding the death penalty for the most severe crimes.
Disclaimer- Our team has thoroughly fact-checked this article to ensure its accuracy and maintain its credibility. We are committed to providing honest and reliable content for our readers.