Ohio proposes bill to adopt nitrogen gas executions after Alabama

Ohio lawmakers proposed legislation permitting the use of nitrogen gas for execution, following in the footsteps of Alabama, which used the first-of-its-kind method on a death row inmate Thursday.

During a press conference Tuesday, state Reps. Phil Plummer and Brian Stewart introduced the bill, which would allow inmates to have the choice between nitrogen hypoxia or lethal injection. However, if the necessary drugs for the lethal injection method are not available, nitrogen gas would be used alternatively, ABC News reported. The controversial execution procedure has gained traction recently in pro-death penalty states, such as Alabama, Oklahoma, and Mississippi, where it has been approved.