An Alabama death row inmate, Anthony Boyd, has requested a meeting with Governor Kay Ivey before his scheduled execution, claiming he is innocent and that the state should not carry out his death. Boyd, who is set to be executed by nitrogen gas on Thursday, made the plea during a news conference hosted by the Execution Intervention Project and his spiritual adviser, Rev. Jeff Hood.
The governor’s office has not responded to the request, stating that Boyd’s abnormal request is ‘especially unworkable,’ and that no recent court filings dispute Boyd’s guilt in the 1993 murder of Gregory Huguley. Boyd insisted that if the governor believes he is being deceptive, the execution should proceed, but he urged the than the governor to pause the sentence if he is found innocent.
The state of Alabama has used nitrogen gas as a method of execution for the first time in January 2024, when convicted killer Kenneth Smith was executed. Attorneys for Boyd have called on the federal courts to block the execution to scrutinize the new method, but a federal judge denied the request. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also rejected a request by Boyd’s attorneys to stay the execution.
Boyd’s attorneys argue that the use of nitrogen gas is controversial and that the method may have potential flaws. They believe that the execution should be halted to ensure that the new method is properly evaluated. However, the governor and the state have not agreed to this request, and the execution is set to proceed as planned.
The case has sparked debate over the fairness of the legal system and the reliability of capital punishment. Some legal experts have raised concerns about the use of nitrogen gas as a method of execution, citing potential risks and ethical concerns.
Boyd’s defense team continues to push for a new trial and for a stay of execution, arguing that there are still unresolved questions about the circumstances of the crime and whether the evidence supports a guilty verdict. However, the state maintains that the evidence is clear and that the execution should proceed as scheduled.
The case has drawn attention from human rights organizations and legal experts, who have called for greater transparency and review of the execution process. They argue that the use of nitrogen gas represents a significant shift in the method of execution and raises serious ethical and legal questions that need to be addressed.
As the scheduled execution approaches, all eyes are on the governor and the legal system to determine whether Boyd’s request for a meeting will be granted or whether the execution will proceed as planned.