Alabama sets date for nitrogen hypoxia execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has set a date to execute a man by nitrogen hypoxia.

Kenneth Eugene Smith murdered Elizabeth Dorlene Sennett. The Alabama Supreme Court ordered him to be executed not less than 30 days from Nov. 1. Ivey has ordered the execution to be carried out within a 30-hour timeframe between midnight Jan. 25 and 6 a.m. Jan. 26.

Ivey has the authority to grant Smith clemency at any point before his execution date, but she said she does not plan to do so.

Nitrogen hypoxia is a proposed execution method in which death would be caused by forcing the inmate to breathe only nitrogen, thereby depriving them of the oxygen needed to maintain bodily functions. Alabama, Oklahoma and Mississippi have authorized the use of nitrogen hypoxia, but it has never been used to carry out a death sentence.

Ivey has also set an execution date for Casey McWhorter, scheduling the execution for a 30-hour window between midnight Nov. 16 and 6 a.m. Nov. 17.

McWhorter was sentenced to death for the murder of Edward Lee Williams. He has filed state and federal appeals claiming the state did not notify him of the planned execution in time.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

More: Previous Coverage Alabama schedules execution of Casey McWhorter

Alex Gladden is the Montgomery Advertiser's public safety reporter. She can be reached at agladden@gannett.com or on Twitter @gladlyalex.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Gov. Kay Ivey orders execution date for Kenneth Eugene Smith