Alabama executed Carey Dale Grayson, 50, on Thursday using nitrogen hypoxia, marking the state’s third use of the controversial method and the third such execution in the U.S. Grayson was pronounced dead at 6:33 p.m. at William C. Holman Correctional Facility.
Grayson, convicted for the brutal 1994 murder of hitchhiker Vickie DeBlieux, 37, displayed defiance until the end. According to reports, he swore at the warden and raised both middle fingers before the execution. “For you, you need to f*** off,” he said, addressing state officials before his microphone was cut off.
The Alabama Department of Corrections confirmed Grayson refused both breakfast and lunch but consumed coffee and Mountain Dew earlier in the day. For his final meal, he requested tacos, burritos, a tostada, chips and guacamole, and a Mountain Dew Blast from local restaurants.
Gruesome Crime Details
Grayson was one of four teenagers convicted of DeBlieux’s murder. On February 21, 1994, the group offered DeBlieux a ride as she hitchhiked toward her mother’s home in Louisiana. They drove her to a remote area near Bald Mountain, where they brutally beat, kicked, and ultimately killed her. Grayson and another teen stood on her throat to end her life.
After discarding her body by throwing it off a cliff, the group later returned to mutilate her corpse, inflicting at least 180 cuts, removing fingers, and taking a portion of her lungs.
Governor Kay Ivey commented on the heinous nature of the crime, stating:
“Even after her death, Mr. Grayson’s crimes against Ms. DeBlieux were unimaginable. An execution by nitrogen hypoxia bears no comparison to the death and dismemberment she experienced. I pray for her loved ones to continue finding closure and healing.”
Controversial Execution Method
Grayson chose nitrogen hypoxia, a method where pure nitrogen is inhaled through a mask, displacing oxygen in the bloodstream. Supporters claim it is painless and instantaneous, but critics argue it is experimental and inhumane.
This marked Alabama’s third use of nitrogen hypoxia, following Kenneth Eugene Smith’s January execution, which drew global criticism, including from the Vatican. Smith reportedly writhed for four minutes before succumbing, sparking debates about the method’s reliability.
Despite these concerns, Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm defended the process, calling Grayson’s execution “textbook.”
Legal and National Implications
Grayson’s execution followed a rejected appeal by the U.S. Supreme Court, where his lawyers argued for more study on nitrogen hypoxia before further use. He became the 22nd inmate executed in the U.S. this year and Alabama’s sixth in 2024.
The state continues to face scrutiny over its death penalty practices, as approximately 30 inmates on Alabama’s death row have selected nitrogen hypoxia as their method of execution.
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