Alabama carried out the third nitrogen gas execution in the US when it executed convict Carey Dale Grayson for the 1994 hitchhiker murder.
After the new process was implemented, Grayson, 50, was declared dead at the state’s William C. Holman Correctional Facility on Thursday at 6:33 p.m.
Grayson lifted both middle fingers and cursed at the jail warden prior to his execution, the Associated Press said.
AL.com claims that he told the warden, “You need to f*** off for you.”
When Grayson seemed to address state authorities in the witness room while wearing a gas mask, the warden reportedly turned off the microphone.
The Alabama Department of Corrections claims that Grayson refused breakfast and lunch plates, preferring coffee and Mountain Dew instead.
At a nearby restaurant, Grayson’s farewell meal consisted of beef burritos, soft tacos, a tostada, chips, and guacamole, along with a Mountain Dew Blast.
Thirty years ago, Carey Grayson and three other men brutally interrupted Vicki DeBlieux’s trek to her mother’s house and, eventually, her life. According to a statement from Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, she tried to escape after sensing something was off but was brutally tortured and killed.
Even after she passed away, Mr. Grayson’s treatment of Ms. DeBlieux was horrifying, unthinkable, inhumane, and simply unimaginably cruel. The dismemberment and death of Ms. DeBlieux was far worse than a nitrogen hypoxia execution. I wish for her loved ones to keep finding healing and closure.
Vickie Deblieux, 37, was killed by Grayson and four other teenagers in Alabama while she was en route to her mother’s house in Louisiana.
Hours after the US Supreme Court denied a stay request, the execution took place. Grayson’s attorneys had maintained that more research was necessary before the new method of execution was used once more.
According to the Montgomery Advertiser, Grayson was the third prisoner to be killed in as little as two months, the 22nd in the United States this year, and Alabama’s sixth in 2024.
According to USA TODAY, Deblieux started hitchhiking to continue her trek southwest after being let off by a friend in Chattanooga, close to Interstate 59, on February 21, 1994.
Simultaneously, Grayson and three other young people were traveling close to Birmingham, Alabama, when they spotted Deblieux begging for a ride on the side of the road.
The gang approached Deblieux, who volunteered to ride with them. They then moved on to Bald Mountain, a nearby rural region, where they allegedly attacked Deblieux after claiming that they were exchanging cars as an excuse for stopping.
Before Grayson and another child killed her by treading on her neck, the children kicked and thrashed her outside the car.
After throwing her body off a cliff, the group went back to dismember it. According to court documents, they cut her fingers, cut her torso at least 180 times, and removed a portion of her lungs.
In Alabama, criminals can be killed via electrocution, lethal injection, or nitrogen hypoxia; Grayson opted for the former. Alabama utilized the controversial procedure for the first time this year, when Kenneth Eugene Smith was killed in January.
Smith s unorthodox method of execution aroused international outrage, including a protest from the Vatican.
Grayson is one of perhaps 30 inmates on Alabama s death row who have chosen to die from nitrogen hypoxia. During the execution, the condemned individual breathes pure nitrogen through a mask, displacing oxygen from their system. Proponents claim it is an instant and painless death, while opponents argue it is untested and amounts to torture.
During Smith s execution, he reportedly writhed and convulsed on a gurney for at least four minutes before losing consciousness within seconds, as the state had expected.
Despite these concerns, the state s Department of Corrections Commissioner, John Hamm, praised the execution as textbook.
Note: Thank you for visiting our website! We strive to keep you informed with the latest updates based on expected timelines, although please note that we are not affiliated with any official bodies. Our team is committed to ensuring accuracy and transparency in our reporting, verifying all information before publication. We aim to bring you reliable news, and if you have any questions or concerns about our content, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
ChiefsFocus is a dedicated news writer with extensive experience in covering news across the United States. With a passion for storytelling and a commitment to journalistic integrity, ChiefsFocus delivers accurate and engaging content that informs and resonates with readers, keeping them updated on the latest developments nationwide.