The recent execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith using nitrogen gas has sparked condemnation from various organizations and activists, including the United Nations (UN), European Union (EU), and anti-death penalty advocates. Smith was put to death on Thursday at a state prison in Atmore, Alabama, for the 1989 murder of Elizabeth Sennett, a preacher's wife.

According to a journalist who witnessed the execution, Smith thrashed violently on the gurney as the procedure took place. Inhaling pure nitrogen gas cuts off the oxygen supply to the brain, a method that had never been used before in an execution, as stated by the Death Penalty Information Center. The process began at 19:53 local time and Smith was pronounced dead at 20:25, approximately half an hour later.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, expressed serious concerns about the use of nitrogen gas, stating that it may constitute torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. EU officials also condemned nitrogen gas as a particularly cruel and unusual punishment.

One of the five reporters who witnessed the execution, Alabama journalist Lee Hedgepeth, described it as unlike any other he had seen before. Hedgepeth revealed that Smith's reaction to the nitrogen gas was intense, saying, "I've been to four previous executions and I've never seen a condemned inmate thrash in the way that Kenneth Smith reacted to the nitrogen gas."

While Alabama officials claimed that the execution went as planned, Smith's spiritual adviser, Reverend Jeff Hood, contested this. Hood stated that the process did not result in immediate unconsciousness, but rather minutes of struggling for life. He also noted that correction officials in the room appeared surprised by the outcome.

Despite the controversy, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall asserted that the nitrogen gas method was expected to be used in the future by Alabama and other states. Oklahoma and Mississippi had also authorized nitrogen gas as an execution method.

The White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, expressed the Biden administration's concern over the execution, terming it "very troubling." Jean-Pierre reiterated that the federal government would maintain its moratorium on executions.

Smith's last words, according to a media pool report, were filled with disappointment towards the execution method. He stated, "Tonight Alabama caused humanity to take a step backward. I'm leaving with love, peace, and light. Thank you for supporting me. Love all of you."

Smith was one of two men convicted of the murder of Elizabeth Sennett. The victim's husband, Charles Sennett, had paid them to carry out the killing for insurance money and subsequently committed suicide. Smith's accomplice, John Forrest Parker, was executed in 2010.

While this execution has sparked controversy regarding the use of nitrogen gas, it remains to be seen how this debate will unfold and whether it will impact future executions in the United States.