Alan Eugene Miller, 59, was executed using nitrogen gas at a prison in southern Alabama on Thursday. Convicted of killing three men in 1999, Miller was pronounced dead at 6:38 p.m. local time. He exhibited shaking and trembling on the gurney for about two minutes, followed by gasping breaths for six minutes.
Miller’s victims were Lee Holdbrooks, Christopher Scott Yancy, and Terry Jarvis. The state had previously attempted to execute Miller by lethal injection in 2022. In his final words, muffled by a mask, Miller claimed his innocence.
Miller was among five inmates scheduled for execution within a week, a notable increase against a backdrop of declining death penalty usage in the U.S. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey stated that justice was served for the victims through the method chosen by Miller. She described his actions as “pure evil” and expressed hope for the victims’ families to find comfort.
Alan Eugene Miller, 59, is scheduled to be executed with nitrogen gas at a south Alabama prison. Miller was convicted of killing three men — Lee Holdbrooks, Christopher Scott Yancy and Terry Jarvis — in back-to-back workplace shootings in 1999.
I was an investigator on this… pic.twitter.com/GyB1d9t27J
— Mark R. Hall (@MarkRHall) September 26, 2024
This was Alabama’s second use of nitrogen gas for execution, first employed in January with Kenneth Smith. The method involves replacing breathable air with pure nitrogen gas, causing death by oxygen deprivation. There has been debate over whether this method causes unconstitutional pain, as Smith reportedly experienced seizure-like spasms and gasped for breath during his execution.
Miller, a delivery truck driver, committed the shootings on August 5, 1999, in Pelham, Alabama. He fatally shot Holdbrooks, 32, and Yancy, 28, at Ferguson Enterprises, then drove to Post Airgas and killed Jarvis, 39. Witnesses testified that Miller was paranoid and believed his co-workers were gossiping about him. All three men were shot multiple times.
Initially, Miller pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity but later withdrew this plea. A defence psychiatrist testified that while Miller was mentally ill, his condition was not severe enough for an insanity defence. Jurors took 20 minutes to convict Miller and recommended the death penalty by a 10-2 vote.
In 2022, the state halted an earlier execution attempt after being unable to establish an IV line for the 351-pound inmate. Miller had initially contested the nitrogen gas protocol but dropped his lawsuit after reaching a settlement with the state.
What Other Media Are Saying
- Wistv reports Alabama executes man convicted of killing three using nitrogen gas, marking the country’s second such execution, highlighting the use of a new method in capital punishment.(read more)
- The Journal reports Alabama’s second use of nitrogen gas for an execution, highlighting the controversial method’s application and ethical debates surrounding capital punishment.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Who was executed in Alabama using nitrogen gas?
Alan Eugene Miller was executed using nitrogen gas in Alabama.
What crimes was Alan Eugene Miller convicted of?
Miller was convicted of killing three men in workplace shootings in 1999.
How did Alan Eugene Miller die during the execution?
Miller shook and trembled for two minutes, followed by six minutes of gasping breaths.
Why was Alan Eugene Miller’s initial execution attempt in 2022 called off?
The initial execution attempt was called off because the state couldn’t connect an IV line.
What is the execution method used in Alabama involving nitrogen gas?
The method involves replacing breathable air with pure nitrogen gas, causing death by lack of oxygen.
