Additional Coverage:
- Carey Dale Grayson executed in Alabama in hiker’s murder; 3rd nitrogen gas execution in US (newsbreak.com)
Alabama Inmate Executed by Nitrogen Gas
Carey Dale Grayson was executed in Alabama on Thursday, becoming the third inmate in the US to face death by nitrogen gas. Grayson’s execution is the sixth in Alabama this year, and the 22nd in the US.
Grayson was convicted of murdering Vickie Lynn DeBlieux in 1994. He was 19 at the time of the murder, which involved torture, bludgeoning, and mutilation.
Grayson’s Execution
Grayson’s execution drew controversy, with some witnesses describing nitrogen hypoxia as a form of torture. Despite this, Governor Kay Ivey defended the method, stating that it was humane compared to the victim’s suffering.
Grayson’s last words were profane and defiant, and his execution was described as violent, with him convulsing and pulling against restraints.
Victim’s Daughter Condemns Death Penalty
Jodi DeBlieux Haley, the victim’s daughter, opposes the death penalty, despite the loss of her mother. She believes that Grayson faced severe abuse as a child and that the justice system failed him. She argues that state-sanctioned homicide is wrong and that murder should never be listed as a cause of death.
Nitrogen Hypoxia
Nitrogen hypoxia involves breathing pure nitrogen through a mask, displacing oxygen in the system. Proponents claim it is painless and instant, while opponents argue it is torture. Grayson’s execution was the second in Alabama using this method, after Kenneth Eugene Smith’s controversial execution in January.
Grayson’s Background
Grayson had bipolar disorder and faced a troubled childhood. Despite being diagnosed as manic at the time of the murder, he was deemed legally responsible for his actions.