Jewish group protests against nitrogen hypoxia as method of execution
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The group Jews Against Gassing gathered on the steps of the Touro Synagogue to protest against the state's plan to execute death row inmates using nitrogen hypoxia.
'We cannot stand silent while prisoners are executed in our names, using a method that echoes those horrors,' Aaron Bloch with the Jewish Federation of New Orleans said. 'We stand here today to ask Governor Landry and the state of Louisiana to say no to gassing.'
NOPD releases officer-involved shooting footage of Feb. 6 incident
Gov. Jeff Landry says the state has finalized its protocol for using nitrogen gas as an alternative method of execution alongside lethal injection.
Members of the Jewish community are now gathering to voice their opposition, drawing parallels to the atrocities of the holocaust.
'For us, the use of gassing for execution is not just another form of capital punishment, it is a painful echo of genocide,' Rabbi David Cohen–Henriquez said. 'Nitrogen hypoxia involves forcing an inmate to suffocate by inhaling nitrogen gas through a face mask.'
The method was first used in January of last year when the state of Alabama executed 58-year-old Kenneth Smith. Despite claims it would be painless, witnesses reported Smith shook, convulsed and gasped for air for nearly 22 minutes until he was pronounced dead.
'For us, the use of gassing for execution is not just another form of capital punishment. It is a painful echo of genocide,' Rabbi Katie Bauman said.
Lawsuit seeks to block Louisiana tax amendment from March ballot
The state of Louisiana has not carried out an execution since 2010. In recent years, states have had trouble obtaining drugs used for lethal injections, which is largely the reason for the introduction of nitrogen hypoxia.
'The historical association with this execution method is chilling and undeniable, eliciting a visceral response that evokes not justice but genocide,' Naomi Yavneh Klos with the Jews Against Gassing coalition said.
According to the Death Penalty Information Center, there are currently 63 people on death row in Louisiana.
Attorney General Liz Murrill says she expects at least four people on death row to be executed this year.HBCU Legacy Bowl provides opportunities for players on and off the field, including career fair with proven success
Jewish group protests against nitrogen hypoxia as method of execution
Javohn Garcia, Joe Charles lead McNeese to 88-82 victory over Southeastern
Chihuahua police free 49 kidnapped migrants
WSJ asks Kennedy to cast aside 'antivax hooey' amid Texas measles outbreak
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Epoch Times
an hour ago
- Epoch Times
DOJ Sues California Coffee Shop for Allegedly Refusing to Serve Jews
The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against Jerusalem Coffee House in Oakland, California, and its owner, alleging that the shop had discriminated against Jewish customers, the agency said in a June 9 'It is illegal, intolerable, and reprehensible for any American business open to the public to refuse to serve Jewish customers,' said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Greta Thunberg and ‘selfie yacht' pals refused to watch ‘horror film of the Oct. 7 massacre': Israel
Greta Thunberg and other detained activists on her Gaza-bound 'selfie yacht' refused to watch a film detailing Hamas' slaughter of more than 1,000 people in Israel, according to officials. 'Greta and her flotilla companions were taken into a room upon their arrival for a screening of the horror film of the October 7 massacre,' Israel's defense minister, Israel Katz, said of the group's arrival in the port of Ashdod after they were detained about 125 miles off the coast Monday. But 'when they saw what it was about, they refused to continue watching,' Katz said, according to The Times of Israel. Advertisement 'The antisemitic flotilla members are turning a blind eye to the truth and have proven once again that they prefer the murderers to the murdered and continue to ignore the atrocities committed by Hamas against Jewish and Israeli women, adults and children,' Katz said.. 3 Thunberg was deported Tuesday after being detained aboard the Gaza-bound 'Madleen,' which Israel dismissed as a 'selfie yacht.' REUTERS 3 Thunberg smiled as she was detained by Israeli forces. Advertisement Thunberg agreed to be deported from Israel along with two other activists and a journalist, according to Adalah, a legal rights group representing the group. The 22-year-old was flown home to Sweden via France. Other activists who refused deportation were being held in detention, with their cases set to be heard. 3 Video from Oct. 7 showed Hamas terrorists kidnapping an bound and bloodied woman. The activists said they were protesting a humanitarian crisis in Gaza since the conflict began with Hamas' terror attack 20 months ago. Advertisement Israel has maintained that such ships violate its naval blockade of Gaza. Israel, for its part, dismissed the saga as a stunt, noting how the celebs onboard, including Irish actor Liam Cunningham, had posed smiling pictures for social media. 'The 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are safe and were provided with sandwiches and water,' the ministry posted on X.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Eric Adams signs order adopting controversial definition of antisemitism
Eric Adams, the mayor of New York City, signed an executive order this week adopting a controversial definition of antisemitism, as Israel's invasion of Gaza and alleged antisemitism continued to dominate the city's mayoral election. The mayor signed the order, which requires city agencies to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's description of antisemitism, at a synagogue in Manhattan on Sunday. Adams described antisemitism as 'a vile disease that's been spreading across our nation and our city'. Critics of the definition say it is designed to protect Israel by punishing legitimate criticism. Examples of antisemitism that accompany the formal definition include 'claiming that the existence of a state of Israel is a racist endeavor' and 'applying double standards by requiring of [Israel] a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation'. The lead author of the definition has spoken out against its use to suppress free speech. The move comes two weeks ahead of the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, where a number of high-profile candidates are running against Adams. Support for Israel and the city's Jewish population has become a key issue, with the frontrunners holding starkly different views on Israel's war on Gaza. Related: The new definition of antisemitism is transforming America – and serving a Christian nationalist plan Adams, a deeply unpopular first-term mayor whose time in office has been blighted by accusations of accepting bribes, has positioned himself as a staunch defender of Israel as he seeks to win election. He referenced the recent murder of two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington and the attack on a crowd of people in Colorado who were raising awareness for Israeli hostages in Gaza before signing the order. 'Since Hamas' terror attacks on October 7 2023, we have seen this hateful rhetoric become normalized on our campuses, in our communities, and online as antisemitic propaganda far too often masquerades as 'activism'. When Jewish New Yorkers make up 11% of the population but more than half of all hate crimes, we know this moment demands bold, decisive action to crack down on anti-Jewish hatred,' Adams said. Antisemitic and Islamophobic violence have risen since the Hamas attack and Israel's response, and Adams has criticized pro-Palestinian demonstrations which have taken place on university campuses and around the city. Adams was elected as a Democrat, but is running as an independent candidate in this year's election. His main rivals are Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of New York who resigned in 2021 amid accusations of sexual harassment, and Zohran Mamdani, a New York state representative. In 2021, Orthodox Jewish support helped Adams win the Democratic primary, but with Cuomo, Adams is up against a fellow staunch supporter of Israel. Last year, Cuomo joined Benjamin Netanyahu's legal defense team after the international criminal court issued an arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister for alleged war crimes in Gaza. Mamdani, a Democratic socialist who has long been outspoken on Palestinian rights, has described the situation in Gaza, where Israel has killed more than 50,000 people, as 'genocide' and said he would have Netanyahu arrested if he came to the city. Adams signed the executive order at a synagogue in Manhattan on Sunday. He then sat for a discussion with Phil McGraw, a television personality and Trump supporter, about the threat of antisemitism, in which he criticized anti-Israel demonstrations at universities.
