US Supreme Court temporarily halts controversial nitrogen hypoxia execution

The U.S. Supreme Court has granted an emergency stay of execution for an Alabama inmate facing death by nitrogen hypoxia, a controversial method criticized by international human rights organizations. Jeffery Lee, 49, was scheduled to be executed for a 1998 robbery-homicide. The execution was to be carried out using nitrogen gas administered through a mask, causing death by oxygen deprivation.

This decision follows a federal court's ruling earlier this week that the method is likely unconstitutional. Alabama had appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court. The court's unsigned order on Thursday denied the "application for stay or reversal," offering no explanation, which is common for emergency rulings.

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The application for a stay or reversal ... filed with the Court is denied.

Nitrogen hypoxia has been condemned by United Nations experts as a "cruel and inhumane" execution method. In the past year, five inmates were executed using this method in the United States, out of a national total of 47 executions. Alabama conducted five executions in 2025, with South Carolina and Texas also carrying out five each. Florida led the nation with 19 executions.

Lethal injection remains the most common execution method in the U.S., used in 39 cases last year. The death penalty is abolished in 23 states, with three others having moratoriums. Former President Donald Trump has consistently supported capital punishment for the most serious crimes.

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cruel and inhumane