Judge suggests change to nitrogen execution to let inmate pray and say final words without gas mask

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A federal judge who is weighing whether to allow the nation’s first execution by nitrogen hypoxia to go forward next month has urged Alabama to change procedures so the inmate can pray and say final words before the gas mask is placed on his face. U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker on Thursday set a Dec. 29 deadline to submit information before he rules on the inmate’s request to block the execution. Alabama is scheduled to execute Kenneth Eugene Smith on Jan. 25. If Smith is executed it would be the nation’s first execution using nitrogen gas.