execution of Alan Eugene Miller
{{Short description|2024 execution by the state of Alabama via nitrogen hypoxia}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name = Alan Eugene Miller
| image = Alan Eugene Miller.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| caption = Miller in a 1999 police mugshot
| alt =
| birth_name =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1965|01|20}}{{cite web|title=Alabama Inmates Currently on Death Row|url=http://doc.state.al.us/deathrow.asp|website=Alabama Department of Corrections|access-date=June 8, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024002801/http://doc.state.al.us/deathrow.asp|archive-date=October 24, 2012|url-status=dead}}
| birth_place = Billingsley, Alabama, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|09|26|1965|01|20}}
| death_place = Holman Correctional Facility, Alabama, U.S.
| cause = Execution by nitrogen hypoxia
| conviction = Capital murder (3 counts)
| sentence = Death (July 31, 2000)
| victims = Lee Michael Holdbrooks, 32
Christopher Scott Yancy, 28
Terry Lee Jarvis, 39
| date = August 5, 1999
| country = United States
| states = Alabama
| imprisoned = Holman Correctional Facility
}}
The execution of Alan Eugene Miller (January 20, 1965 – September 26, 2024) took place in the U.S. state of Alabama by nitrogen hypoxia. It was the second execution in both the world and state to use this particular method, following the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith in January 2024.{{cite news|last=Chandler|first=Kim|date=September 27, 2024|title=Alabama puts man convicted of killing 3 to death in the country's second nitrogen gas execution|work=Associated Press|url=https://apnews.com/article/alabama-nitrogen-execution-alan-miller-29d624a776d5daa265f376a79ae2f86b|access-date=September 27, 2024}} Miller was convicted of the August 1999 murders of three men in Pelham, Alabama, and was sentenced to death in 2000.{{cite news|date=June 18, 2000|title=Death sentence in Ala. workplace shootings|work=United Press International|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/2000/06/18/Death-sentence-in-Ala-workplace-shootings/9343961300800/|access-date=June 8, 2024}}
Crime
On August 5, 1999, Miller, armed with a .40-caliber Glock pistol,{{cite web|url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/al-court-of-criminal-appeals/1487292.html|title=MILLER v. STATE (2004)|website=caselaw.findlaw.com}} shot and killed two of his co-workers, 32-year-old Lee Holdbrooks and 28-year-old Christopher Yancy, at a heating and air-conditioning distributor, then drove five miles to a business where he had previously worked and shot and killed his former supervisor, 39-year-old Terry Jarvis.{{cite news|author=Sue Anne Pressley|date=August 6, 1999|title=Gunman Kills 3 at 2 Firms|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1999/08/06/gunman-kills-3-at-2-firms/f143727a-5aed-4273-9a30-c952e47164a7/|access-date=June 8, 2024}}{{cite news|date=August 5, 1999|title=Alabama gunman kills three|work=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/413032.stm|access-date=June 8, 2024}} Holdbrooks was shot six times, Yancy was shot three times, and Jarvis was shot five times.{{Cite web |last=Hrynkiw |first=Ivana |date=September 22, 2022 |title='I just don't understand': Condemned Alabama inmate Alan Eugene Miller's victims described as loving, hardworking |url=https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2022/09/i-just-dont-understand-condemned-alabama-inmate-alan-eugene-millers-victims-described-as-loving-hardworking.html |access-date=September 25, 2024 |website=al |language=en}} After the shooting, Miller drove off, only to be pulled over later that day on the side of an Alabama highway after being spotted by police. It required four officers and four sets of handcuffs to subdue him.{{Cite web |last=staff |first=CBSNews com staff CBSNews com |date=August 5, 1999 |title=Ala. Shooting Inquiry Continues - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ala-shooting-inquiry-continues/ |access-date=September 25, 2024 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}} According to trial testimony, Miller's supposed motive behind the murders was that he believed the men were spreading rumors about him being gay. A psychiatrist hired by Miller's defense found he suffered from severe mental illness.{{cite news|date=September 23, 2022|title=Alabama execution of man who killed 3 in workplace shooting called off for time and medical concerns|work=NBC News|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/alabama-execution-man-killed-3-workplace-shooting-called-time-medical-rcna49086|access-date=June 8, 2024}} At the time of the shootings, he was employed as a delivery truck driver at Ferguson Enterprises in Pelham.{{Cite news |last=Conlon |first=Riley |date=September 26, 2024 |title=Everything you need to know about Alabama's nitrogen hypoxia execution of Alan Eugene Miller |url=https://www.wvtm13.com/article/alan-miller-execution-time-nitrogen/62377570 |access-date=September 26, 2024 |website=WVTM |language=en}}
Failed execution attempt
Miller was scheduled to be executed via lethal injection on September 22, 2022, but his execution was called off after prison staff failed to establish intravenous access to deliver a lethal injection.{{cite news|last1=Mealins|first1=Evan|last2=Lyman|first2=Brian|date=September 23, 2022|title=Legal challenges, difficulty establishing an IV complicated hours before Miller's death warrant expired|work=Montgomery Advertiser|url=https://montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2022/09/23/alabama-execution-alan-eugene-miller-updates/69511737007/|access-date=June 8, 2024}} It was concluded they would not be able to complete the execution by the midnight deadline. Miller filed a federal lawsuit following the failed execution attempt.{{cite news|last=Kim|first=Chloe|date=February 22, 2024|title=Second Alabama man to be executed by nitrogen gas|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68371430|access-date=June 8, 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240608165543/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68371430|archive-date=June 8, 2024|url-status=live}} In November 2022, the state of Alabama agreed it would not use lethal injection to execute Miller and would instead use nitrogen gas.
Execution
Miller was executed by nitrogen hypoxia at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama, on September 26, 2024. He was pronounced dead at 6:38 p.m. local time.{{cite news|last=Chandler|first=Kim|date=May 8, 2024|title=Alabama schedules second execution by nitrogen gas|work=Associated Press|url=https://apnews.com/article/alabama-death-penalty-nitrogen-fee1e5f397b9b74ef446847f5b11c8a8|access-date=June 8, 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Roney |first=Jonathan Limehouse and Marty |title=Alan Eugene Miller becomes second inmate in US to be executed with nitrogen gas |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/09/26/alan-eugene-miller/75398202007/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} For his last meal he had a hamburger steak, a baked potato, and french fries.{{Cite web |last=Conlon |first=Riley |date=September 26, 2024 |title=Everything you need to know about Alabama's nitrogen hypoxia execution of Alan Eugene Miller |url=https://www.wvtm13.com/article/alan-miller-execution-time-nitrogen/62377570 |access-date=September 26, 2024 |website=WVTM |language=en}} His final words were, "I didn't do anything to be in here."
It marked the second time that Alabama executed a condemned inmate using nitrogen hypoxia following the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith in January 2024.{{cite news|title= US inmates executed by lethal drugs, nitrogen gas|url= https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/us-inmates-executed-by-lethal-drugs-nitrogen-gas |work=The Straits Times |date=September 27, 2024 }}{{cite news|last=Chapoco|first=Ralph|date=May 8, 2024|title=Gov. Kay Ivey schedules nitrogen execution for Alan Eugene Miller|work=Alabama Reflector|url=https://alabamareflector.com/2024/05/08/gov-kay-ivey-schedules-nitrogen-execution-for-alan-eugene-miller/|access-date=June 8, 2024}} According to witness Lauren Gill, "Miller visibly struggled for roughly two minutes, shaking and pulling at his restraints. He then spent the next 5-6 min intermittently gasping for air."{{Cite web |last=Gill |first=Lauren |title=I was a witness for Alabama's execution of Alan Miller by nitrogen gas tonight. Again, it did not go as state officials promised. Miller visibly struggled for roughly two minutes, shaking and pulling at his restraints. He then spent the next 5-6 min intermittently gasping for air |url=https://x.com/laurenk_gill/status/1839463170080997743}} Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Q. Hamm said the shaking movements were anticipated. "Just like in [Kenneth Eugene] Smith we talked about there is going to be involuntarily body movements as the body is depleted of oxygen. So that was nothing we did not expect," Hamm said, explaining the nitrogen gas flowed for 15 minutes. "Everything went according to plan and according to our protocol."{{Cite web |date=2024-09-26 |title=Alabama puts man convicted of killing 3 to death in the country's second nitrogen gas execution |url=https://apnews.com/article/alabama-nitrogen-execution-alan-miller-29d624a776d5daa265f376a79ae2f86b |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=AP News |language=en}}
Miller's execution was the 1,600th execution in the United States since the resumption of executions in 1976.{{cite news|last=Cabral|first=Sam|date=September 27, 2024|title=Alabama carries out second nitrogen gas execution in US|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm246p3npdqo|access-date=September 27, 2024}} He was the last of five inmates to be executed across the United States in the span of one week, the most inmates executed within a week since July 2003. The others were Freddie Eugene Owens in South Carolina on September 20, Marcellus Williams in Missouri and Travis Mullis in Texas on September 24, and Emmanuel Littlejohn in Oklahoma on the morning of September 26.{{cite news|title=There are 5 executions set over a week's span in the US. That's the most in decades|url=https://apnews.com/article/executions-oklahoma-alabama-missouri-texas-south-carolina-d77a31bea7a4839424afc8889c7d8755|publisher=Associated Press |date=September 24, 2024}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
! colspan="3" | Executions by nitrogen hypoxia in the United States
{{s-bef|before=Kenneth Eugene Smith – Alabama|before2=
{{s-ttl|title=Alan Eugene Miller – Alabama|years=September 26, 2024}}
{{s-aft|after=Carey Dale Grayson – Alabama|after2=
|-
! colspan="3" | Executions carried out in Alabama
{{s-bef|before=Keith Edmund Gavin|before2=
{{s-ttl|title=Alan Eugene Miller|years=September 26, 2024}}
{{s-aft|after=Derrick Dearman
|-
! colspan="3" | Executions carried out in the United States
{{s-bef|before=Emmanuel Littlejohn – Oklahoma|before2=
{{s-ttl|title=Alan Eugene Miller – Alabama|years=September 26, 2024}}
{{s-aft|after=Garcia Glen White – Texas|after2=
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Alan Eugene}}
Category:September 2024 in the United States
Category:20th-century American murderers
Category:21st-century executions by Alabama
Category:American male criminals
Category:American people executed for murder
Category:Executed people from Alabama