Death row meal of inmate killed by controversial new execution method
Topics: Crime, True crime, US News, Death Row
Ella Scott
Featured Image Credit: Alabama Department of Corrections / Pexels
Topics: Crime, True crime, US News, Death Row
The final meal of Kenneth Smith, the inmate who was executed using a controversial new method, has been revealed.
Yesterday (25 January), Kenneth Eugene Smith was executed after spending decades on death row in Alabama, with him originally being sentenced back in 1988.
Almost 36 years ago he was convicted of capital murder after he was one of two men who stabbed Elizabeth Sennett 10 times in her home.
At the time of the attack, she suffered eight wounds to the chest and two to the neck which proved to be fatal.
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Smith and the other assassin were hired by Charles Sennett, Elizabeth’s husband. The murder scheme was reportedly born after the pastor wanted to gain a large payout on his insurance.
Since then, Smith has remained on death row and was originally meant to be executed in November 2022 by lethal injection.
However, after hours of trying, prison officials were unable to find a vein and were forced to abandon their task when the man’s death warrant expired at midnight.
But yesterday, (25 January), Smith's execution finally happened but this time, it was by the use of nitrogen hypoxia - a method only authorised in Alabama, Mississippi and Oklahoma and never before used on a human being.
The process saw him breathing in nitrogen through a respirator which was placed over his nose and mouth, leading to a deprivation of oxygen.
The controversial method of death was heavily contested by the state, and lawyers claimed that it violated Smith’s rights.
His representatives said that being gassed would violate the Eighth Amendment of the US Constitution, which usually protects people against 'cruel and unusual' punishments.
The UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights also voiced their aversion to the method, however, a US Supreme Court ruled that the execution would continue - despite Smith’s request to pause the event.
Before Smith was put to death at 8.25pm CST at the Holman Correctional Facility in Alabama last night, it’s claimed that he had nine visitors in his cell.
These included family members such as his wife, son, brother, two nieces as well as his spiritual advisor and attorney.
Before saying his final words and walking to the death chamber, Smith was allowed the luxury of choosing a final meal to eat.
As per his spiritual advisor, Rev Dr Jeff Hood, the father ordered a platter of fast food from the popular American restaurant, Waffle House.
His meal reportedly consisted of a T-bone steak, hash browns, toast and scrambled eggs in A. 1. sauce (brown sauce).
It’s claimed that the day before the execution, Smith declined both breakfast and lunch but did eat a portion of his evening meal.
He also consumed Pepsi and Mountain Dew during the day and was not allowed to eat for eight hours before his death.
This was to reduce the chance of the inmate vomiting and lower the ‘substantial risk of harm’.
After being escorted to his death, which lasted a total of 22 minutes, Smith uttered his last words and made a loving gesture towards his family.
He said: “Tonight, Alabama caused humanity to take a step backwards… I am leaving with love, peace and light - thank you for supporting me. I love all of you.”
Smith then made an ‘I love you’ sign with his hands toward his family members and said: “Thank you for supporting me. Love, love all of you.”
Marty Roney of the Montgomery Advertiser was also present at the execution, and said that between 7:57pm and 8:01pm the convict began to ‘write and convulse’ on the gurney.
It’s said that he ‘took deep breaths’ and that he ‘clenched his fists’ while his ‘legs shook’.
“He seemed to be gasping for air,” he claimed. “The gurney shook several times.”
Eyewitness statements say that Smith’s eyes rolled into the back of his head before he took his final breath.