Lethal injection, nitrogen, firing squads: How US states carry out executions

The botched lethal injection execution of Christa Pike in Tennessee has rekindled discussions about the methods employed for capital punishment in the United States. These practices range from lethal injection to firing squads, with each state determining its own execution approach. Lethal injection, sanctioned in 28 states and at the federal level, remains the most frequent method of execution since the death penalty was revived in the United States in 1976.

In 2025, 39 out of 47 executions were carried out through lethal injection. In Alabama, a novel method of nitrogen inhalation was utilized, but it has since been paused due to reported issues. South Carolina marked its first usage of firing squads in 2025, resuming this method after a decade-long hiatus. However, some states have encountered challenges in procuring necessary drugs from pharmaceutical companies wary of their involvement in capital punishment.

Electrocution and gas inhalation follow lethal injection in terms of prevalence, each authorized in nine states. A litany of execution mishaps has compromised various methods. In Alabama in 1983, John Evans experienced a leg burn during electric shock attempts, while in Ohio in 2009, Romell Broom endured 18 unsuccessful needle insertions before succumbing to Covid-19 in December 2020.

Even firing squads, perceived as more definitive, have faced complications, as evidenced by Mikal Mahdi's execution in South Carolina, where the shooters missed his heart, prolonging his death. Nitrogen inhalation in Alabama has also faced severe problems and is currently suspended. Advocates for the abolition of the death penalty, like Laura Porter, highlight the stress and potential harm inflicted on execution personnel during botched executions.

Porter emphasizes the lack of transparency surrounding execution protocols and drug sourcing, suggesting that lifting this secrecy could aid in resolving issues and improving execution methods.