Birmingham, January 26 (RHC)-- In the U.S. state of Alabama, prison officials ended the life of 58-year-old Kenneth Smith via nitrogen gas asphyxiation in the nation’s first-of-its-kind execution. 

In his final statement, Smith said, “Tonight Alabama causes humanity to take a step backwards.  I’m leaving with love, peace and light.” 

The case has garnered international condemnation.  Kenneth Smith’s spiritual adviser Jeff Hood witnessed the execution and rebuked Alabama’s attorney general, who had predicted Smith would lose consciousness within seconds and die within minutes. 

Jeff Hood said: “What we saw was minutes of someone struggling for their life.  We saw minutes of someone heaving back and forth.  We saw spit.  We saw all sorts of stuff from his mouth develop on the mask.  We saw this mask tied to the gurney and him ripping his head forward over and over and over again.  And we also saw correction officials in the room who were visibly surprised at how bad this thing went.”