USA,Oklahoma: A man was executed by lethal injection in Oklahoma yesterday, while Alabama carried out its second-ever execution using nitrogen gas, officials reported. These are the two executions that bring the total number in the U.S. this year to 18, with five occurring in the last week alone.

Emmanuel Littlejohn, 52, was executed in Oklahoma for the 1992 murder of Kenneth Meers, 31, during a convenience store robbery. Littlejohn admitted to being at the scene but consistently denied being the one who shot Meers. Both he and his accomplice, Glenn Bethany, blamed each other for the crime.

While both men were convicted of murder, Bethany was sentenced to life in prison, and Littlejohn received the death penalty. In August, the State Board of Pardons recommended commuting Littlejohn’s sentence, despite opposition from some of the victim’s family. Littlejohn pleaded for intervention from Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, saying, "Governor, don’t kill me for the heck of it." However, Stitt, who has rarely used his clemency power, denied the request. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond later stated, "justice has been served for the murder of Kenny Meers."

In Alabama, 59-year-old Alan Miller was executed for a 1999 workplace shooting that left three coworkers—Lee Holdbrooks, Christopher Scott Yancy, and Terry Lee Jarvis—dead. Miller was put to death at Atmore Penitentiary using nitrogen gas, which was administered through a facemask, causing him to suffocate. This method, first used by Alabama in January, has faced criticism, with the United Nations comparing it to torture.

Media reports described Miller struggling against the restraints and shaking for about two minutes during the process. While his movements were less violent than those of Kenneth Smith, who experienced a similarly controversial nitrogen execution, the incident nonetheless drew concern. In Smith's execution, state officials later attributed his convulsions to attempts to hold his breath.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey had announced beforehand that she would not grant clemency to Miller. A previous attempt to execute him by lethal injection in September 2022 was called off due to issues with inserting the IV and administering the chemicals within the required time.

The death penalty has been eliminated in 23 states across the U.S. states, while six others—Arizona, California, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee—have moratoriums on executions enacted by their governors.