Last week a federal judge in Alabama ruled that the suffering caused to a prisoner being killed by gas suffocation executions does not rise to the level of being unconstitutional. The ruling is being appealed, but we know what this means: We must continue to hope and pray for the best, but prepare for the worst.
That's why Death Penalty Action is once again in Alabama, speaking in a church this morning and leading the petition delivery and rally to stop the execution of Jeffrey Lee.
When the Associated Press broke the story, this image accompanied the article and has now been published worldwide, carrying fourth our very clear message opposing gas suffocations:
“The real torture of the death penalty is in the decades of waiting. With what we know about each of the available methods of being killed in Alabama or in the U.S., I can’t imagine anyone choosing conscious suffocation,” said Abraham Bonowitz, executive director of Death Penalty Action, a group that opposes the death penalty.
He added that Lee would not face the death penalty if sentenced today because judicial override has been abolished.
In light of the torturously long time it took Alabama to use gas to suffocate Anthony Boyd to death last October and the planned use of Gas Suffocation again next week, we're reminding you of our campaign to urge the company that makes the normally life-saving respirator mask used for these suffocation executions to speak out against the practice. If you use social media. Here is text you can copy and share:
Tell @WALTERSURFTECH to disavow use of their mask for #GasSuffocationExecutions & say NO to #GasSuffocation in Alabama, which plans another horrific #NitrogenGas suffocation execution on June 11, 2026. #NoGasChamber: bit.ly/NoGasChamberDPA #StopExecutions
Here's the phone number: 860-298-1100
Try any (or all) of the departments. I started with customer service. BE POLITE.
"I'm calling to ask that your company publicly state that you don't want the respirator mask made by your subsidiary, Allegro Industries, to be used for suffocating prisoners in Alabama or anywhere else."
The very nice woman who took the call said, "I can't comment on that."
I said, "I don't want you to comment. Would you please pass the word up the line that we are asking your company to publicly disavow the use of your safety equipment for the purpose of suffocating prisoners? That's all - just tell them we're calling again, and you can stop the calls with a simple press release."