Lafayette, LA – Louisiana is set to resume executions in the coming months after a 15-year hiatus, marking a controversial shift to using nitrogen gas as the method of execution. The state’s Attorney General, Liz Murrill, confirmed that at least four death row inmates are expected to face execution this year, with district attorneys already moving forward with plans to carry out the sentences as early as March.
The push to reinstate executions follows a legislative move last year to expand the methods of capital punishment, including the introduction of nitrogen gas and electrocution, alongside the traditional lethal injection. Governor Jeff Landry, who assumed office in 2024, expressed strong support for the resumption of executions, emphasizing that his administration would address the “failure of leadership” by previous administrations in upholding justice for victims of violent crimes.
Murrill indicated that executions will proceed for inmates who have exhausted their legal appeals. The cases of four individuals, all convicted of first-degree murder, are expected to be prioritized for execution. Among them is Christopher Sepulvado, who was convicted in 1993 for the brutal murder of his 6-year-old stepson. The DeSoto Parish District Attorney filed a motion this week requesting that Sepulvado be executed on March 17, a request that was approved by the court.
Sepulvado’s defense attorney, federal public defender Shawn Nolan, argued that the 81-year-old, who is in poor health and uses a wheelchair, should not be executed. Nolan called the execution request “unfathomable,” noting that Sepulvado has expressed remorse for his actions.
Two additional execution requests were made this week for other death row inmates. St. Tammany Parish District Attorney Collin Sims filed for the execution of Jessie Hoffman, convicted of first-degree murder in 1998. Meanwhile, Rapides Parish District Attorney Phillip Terrell sought to schedule the execution of Larry Roy, convicted in 1994 for the gruesome murders of his ex-lover’s partner and aunt, as well as the attempted murder of his ex-lover and her children. However, the Louisiana Supreme Court intervened, halting the execution of Roy due to pending post-conviction petitions.
Despite legal challenges and ongoing litigation, Murrill expressed confidence that the cases of these inmates would be swiftly resolved, paving the way for their executions. She also underscored that the state would proceed with its new execution protocol, which includes the use of nitrogen gas.
The nitrogen gas method has drawn sharp criticism, with opponents arguing that it is an inhumane and untested means of execution. The first use of nitrogen gas in a U.S. execution occurred in Alabama last year, and it has since been adopted by Oklahoma and Mississippi, though none have yet used the method. According to Louisiana’s execution protocol, inmates will be fitted with a mask that replaces oxygen with nitrogen gas, eventually leading to death through hypoxia.
Critics of nitrogen gas executions point to troubling reports from Alabama, where several executed individuals exhibited signs of distress, such as gasping and shaking, which some believe may indicate suffering. State officials in Alabama maintain that these movements were involuntary, a consequence of oxygen deprivation.
The resumption of executions in Louisiana comes amid growing concerns about the racial and procedural disparities in the state’s death penalty system. According to the Promise of Justice Initiative, a New Orleans-based criminal justice reform organization, the majority of Louisiana’s death row inmates are Black, and a significant portion of death sentences have been overturned on appeal. Additionally, the group has highlighted evidence of intellectual disabilities and prosecutorial misconduct that has led to wrongful convictions.
Despite these concerns, Governor Landry has defended the use of the death penalty, asserting that it is necessary to bring justice to the victims of violent crimes and their families. He vowed to advocate for the victims and uphold the law, stressing that justice will be served.
As Louisiana prepares to carry out its first executions in over a decade, the state finds itself at the center of a broader national debate over the ethics and effectiveness of the death penalty, particularly with the introduction of nitrogen gas as a method of execution. The state’s decision to move forward with these plans has drawn a sharp divide between supporters of the death penalty and those calling for a reevaluation of capital punishment practices in the U.S.