Carey Dale Grayson, a death row inmate in Alabama, is set to become the third inmate in the nation to be executed using nitrogen gas on Thursday for his role in the brutal 1994 murder of a hitchhiker. Grayson was one of four teenagers convicted of capital murder in the torture, bludgeoning, and mutilation of Vickie Lynn Deblieux, who was hitchhiking to visit her mother when the teens picked her up and killed her. His execution would be the 22nd in the nation this year and the state’s sixth for the year, making it the third in two months.
The nitrogen gas method, which is controversial, was first tried in Alabama earlier this year. Advocates claim it is an almost instant and painless method, while opponents argue it amounts to torture. Grayson, who has exhausted most of his appeals, has bipolar disorder and a traumatic childhood. A forensic psychologist testified that he was in a manic state during the murder but understood the difference between right and wrong. Despite this, Grayson denied full responsibility for the crime during a police interview.
The execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith with nitrogen gas in January drew criticism for the prolonged suffering he experienced, prompting concerns over the method’s effectiveness. Despite these issues, Grayson has not been granted a reprieve, and his execution may proceed if the U.S. Supreme Court and Governor Kay Ivey do not intervene. With about 160 inmates on Alabama’s death row, Grayson is among a small group who have chosen the nitrogen gas method as their form of execution.
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