Alabama executes man with nitrogen gas for 1993 murder over $200 drug debt

ATMORE, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama man convicted of helping to burn a man alive in 1993 over a $200 drug debt was executed by nitrogen gas on Thursday.

Anthony Boyd, 54, was pronounced dead at 6:33 p.m. at William C. Holman Correctional Facility, authorities said.

The execution was carried out by nitrogen gas, a method Alabama began using last year. Boyd was sentenced to death for his role in killing Gregory Huguley in Talladega County.

Prosecutors said Huguley was set on fire after he didn’t pay for $200 worth of cocaine.

Boyd used his final words to proclaim his innocence and criticize the criminal justice system.

“I didn’t kill anybody. I didn’t participate in killing anybody,” he said.

“There can be no justice until we change this system,” he continued.

He said he wanted to express love to those who are still fighting, before closing with, “Let’s get it.”

The execution appeared to take longer than prior nitrogen gas executions. The state does not reveal the exact time the gas began flowing.

At about 5:57 p.m. Boyd clenched his fist, raised his head off the gurney slightly and began shaking.

He then raised his legs off the gurney several inches. At about 6:01 p.m. he began a long series of heaving breaths that lasted at least 15 minutes, before becoming still.

The curtain closed to the execution chamber at 6:27 p.m. The prison commissioner said the gas is kept flowing for five minutes after monitoring shows the inmate no longer has a heartbeat.

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