Alabama schedules nitrogen gas execution for inmate who survived lethal injection attempt

Alabama has scheduled a date for the upcoming execution of Alan Eugene Miller, a convicted murderer who, after surviving a previous execution attempt, is set to become the second inmate ever put to death using nitrogen gas in the United States. Nitrogen hypoxia is a controversial method allowed only in a handful of U.S. states that essentially aims to asphyxiate the prisoner with a gas mask devoid of oxygen. 

The first person executed this way was Kenneth Smith, who was put to death in late January, marking the state's first use of nitrogen gas for an execution. Although nitrogen hypoxia had technically been authorized as an alternative execution method for several years in Alabama, along with Oklahoma and Mississippi, no one was actually executed with the toxic gas before Smith earlier this year.

Miller's execution is set for Sept. 26, according to a memo issued Wednesday by the office of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, CBS affiliate WIAT reported. Miller was convicted of killing three men in 1999.