An inmate on death row, Anthony Boyd, was executed today for murder after maintaining his innocence for over three decades. Boyd, who had been convicted of involvement in burning a man alive in 1993, spent his time on death row at the William C Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama.
Despite Boyd’s pleas of innocence and requests to meet with the state’s governor before his execution, the lethal nitrogen gas method was carried out. Boyd’s final words included declarations of innocence and a plea for justice system reform.
Witnesses described Boyd’s physical reactions post-gas deployment, with Rev Jeff Hood criticizing the execution as the worst he had witnessed. Boyd had preferred a firing squad execution, which was denied, and his appeals for sentence reversal were unsuccessful.
Alabama’s controversial use of nitrogen gas for executions has faced criticism, with concerns raised about the competency in carrying out such executions. The state’s Attorney General reaffirmed the commitment to upholding the law and delivering justice to victims and their families, emphasizing Boyd’s lack of evidence to overturn his conviction.
