The Alabama Senate voted 25-8 on Tuesday to allow the use of nitrogen gas in executions — a method that has yet to be tried out.
The bill, which would let inmates decide if they wanted to be put to death with nitrogen gas rather than lethal injection, now heads to the Alabama House. The bill's Republican sponsor, Sen. Trip Pittman, said the state needs to have another execution method in its arsenal since lethal injection continues to be challenged in court. Oklahoma and Mississippi both allow the use of nitrogen gas in executions, but have not used it.
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