MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Alabama is not ready to carry out an execution by nitrogen hypoxia, state officials disclosed Thursday, but said the department has completed many of the preparations for using the untested execution method.
Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Q. Hamm said in an brief affidavit filed in federal court that the state “cannot carry out an execution by nitrogen hypoxia on September 22.” The filing came after a federal judge ordered the state to disclose whether it was ready to use the new execution method. Hamm said the state is ready to use lethal injection to put an inmate to death next week.
