Among his witnesses were his wife, Deanna Smith, two sons, his attorney and a friend and five media members
Kenneth Eugene Smith was executed Thursday night in Alabama with means never seen in this country. The Alabama Department of Corrections carried out the execution despite pleas to the U.S. Supreme Court to stop the experimental procedure of nitrogen hypoxia.
Here are his final words before the execution, according to a media witness from Al.com :
“Tonight, Alabama causes humanity to take a step backwards. … Thank you for supporting me. Love all of you.”
Once the nitrogen began to overtake his oxygen, Smith smiled and signed “I love you” to his family, per the report who witnessed.
Smith also said he witnessed humanity “rise up” after he “suffered everything I did last year.”
Among his witnesses were his wife, Deanna Smith, two sons, his attorney and a friend and five media members, according to the ADOC.
In March 1988, Smith and John Parker were paid $1,000 each by pastor Charles Sennett to kill his wife, Elizabeth, so that he could collect life insurance money.