Alabama death row inmate Carey Dale Grayson is set to be executed with nitrogen gas on Thursday, making him only the third inmate in the U.S. to be executed by this method. Grayson was convicted of the torture, bludgeoning, and mutilation of Vickie Lynn Deblieux in 1994. His execution will take place at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore.
Grayson and three other teenagers picked up Deblieux while she was hitchhiking and proceeded to beat and kill her. The other teens involved in the murder were also convicted, but their death sentences were reversed due to their age at the time of the crime. Grayson has filed multiple appeals but has lost, with his last hope for a reprieve resting with the U.S. Supreme Court and Governor Kay Ivey.
The nitrogen gas method of execution has been controversial, with witnesses describing it as torture. The first inmate executed with this method in Alabama, Kenneth Eugene Smith, appeared to convulse for minutes during his execution. Proponents claim that it is a painless method, while opponents argue that it is untried and could constitute cruel and unusual punishment.
Grayson, who has bipolar disorder, was found to be in a manic state during the murder but was still found to be able to appreciate the nature and quality of his acts. He described the younger teens involved in the murder as committing the most heinous acts and claimed that the killing was not his problem.
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