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Nitrogen hypoxia and the UN

A United Nations panel has issued a report expressing alarm over Alabama’s plans to execute a convicted killer via the yet-unused nitrogen-hypoxia method, reports AL.com’s William Thornton.

Kenneth Eugene Smith is scheduled to die Jan. 25. The panel of U.N. experts asked that the execution be stopped in order to review procedures for using the new method, which was approved by the state legislature but has yet to be used in any state.

The method involves the condemned man wearing a mask that replaces breathable air with nitrogen. The panel called the method “experimental” and said an experimental execution would likely violate the U.N. convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment.

Smith was twice convicted in the murder-for-hire of Elizabeth Dorlene Sennett in 1988 in Colbert County.

Mobile perp walks

The Mobile Police Department says it won’t be conducting as many of the traditional “perp walks” as it has in the past, citing concerns over negative images of the city it says are inaccurate, reports AL.com’s John Sharp.

A perp walk is the public transporting of a suspect to a courthouse or police station to be booked. Media are often notified and sometimes there are photographers and videographers there. The suspects are often in handcuffs as they’re led from the car.

Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine said he believes the overreporting of crimes has caused a perception that Mobile is overrun with crime. He said the city had a more than 20 percent decrease in homicides in 2023 and reduction in almost all categories of violent crimes.

He also said there’s a concern that with frequent perp walks, there’s now a “notoriety” for younger suspected criminals who appear on camera.

Suggesting they get street cred from the experience. Seriously.

I reckon one person’s embarrassment is another person’s Tinder profile opportunity.

A preacher’s passing

Evangelist Junior Hill has passed away at his home in Hartsville, according to Baptist Press.

AL.com’s Greg Garrison has a story on Hill on the website.

He was a traveling preacher for decades, preaching in dozens of churches a year. In his career he led more than 1,800 revivals, pastored churches in Hartselle, Birmingham and Mississippi, served a stint as vice president for the Southern Baptist Convention, won the first Fred Wolfe Lifetime Pastoral Ministry Award, and wrote his autobiography, “They call him Junior.”

Junior Hill was 87 years old.

By the numbers

5,266

NFL career passing yards by former Spain Park High quarterback Nick Mullens. Only three players in NFL history have more passing yards over their first 19 starts. Mullens, whose first start came more than five years ago, is expected to get his 20th start Sunday when his Minnesota Vikings against the Detroit Lions.

More Alabama news

Born on this date

In 1971, former Oakland Raider Oranda Truitt of Bessemer

In 1989, singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield of Birmingham.

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