Louisiana Executes Inmate Using Nitrogen Gas, a First for the State
Louisiana carried out the execution of Jessie Hoffman on Tuesday, employing nitrogen gas, a method never before utilized in the state. This marks a significant development in the ongoing debate surrounding capital punishment and the evolving methods used to carry out executions.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill confirmed the successful execution of Hoffman, age 46, in a statement to Fox News Digital. Hoffman was convicted in 1996 for the heinous crimes of kidnapping, rape, and murder of 28-year-old advertising executive Mary "Molly" Elliott.
The details of the crime are chilling. Hoffman, then 18, abducted Elliott from her home on the eve of Thanksgiving. He then drove her to a remote area in St. Tammany Parish where he brutally shot her execution-style. The brutality of the crime and the senseless loss of a young life solidified Hoffman’s fate with a death sentence.
"Tonight, justice was served for Molly and the State of Louisiana," Attorney General Murrill stated. She further emphasized the commitment of Governor Jeff Landry and herself to upholding the law and prioritizing the rights and needs of victims’ families. "Governor Jeff Landry and I made a promise to the citizens of Louisiana and to the family members of victims of these heinous crimes that we would follow the law and put them first."
According to reports from the Associated Press, Hoffman declined to issue a final statement before the nitrogen gas was administered. He was pronounced dead at 6:50 p.m. at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Authorities described the execution as "flawless," noting that the nitrogen gas flowed for a total of 19 minutes. However, one witness account suggests that Hoffman experienced convulsions during the procedure.
The execution was preceded by a series of legal challenges and intense debate regarding the constitutionality and humaneness of nitrogen hypoxia as an execution method. Hoffman’s attorney, Cecelia Kappel, argued that the method constituted cruel and unusual punishment, violating his religious freedom. She described the process as "conscious suffocation," akin to "having a pillow over your face" or "drowning."
Kappel further argued that the execution method would interfere with Hoffman’s Buddhist practices of breathing and meditation. She even proposed the alternative of a firing squad, arguing that it would at least allow him to breathe air at the moment of death. The state, however, rejected this request.
Louisiana officials maintained that nitrogen hypoxia is a painless method of execution, depriving a person of oxygen without causing suffering. They asserted that it was time to deliver the justice promised to Elliott’s family, a promise that had been delayed for over a decade due to challenges in procuring lethal injection drugs.
The execution faced multiple attempts to block it, including a last-minute request to the U.S. Supreme Court, which was ultimately denied in a 5-4 vote. A temporary reprieve granted by a federal judge was also overturned by the Fifth Circuit courts.
Following the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision, Attorney General Murrill expressed her satisfaction, tweeting, "BREAKING: Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals overturns injunction in Hoffman case. Convicted killer and rapist will be brought to justice on Tuesday. This is justice for Mary ‘Molly’ Elliott, her friends, her family, and for Louisiana."
Murrill also announced plans to pursue further executions, stating that she anticipates at least four more individuals on Louisiana’s death row will be executed this year. The last execution in Louisiana occurred in 2010, when Gerald Bordelon, a convicted murderer and sex offender, was put to death.
"Justice has been delayed for far too long," Murrill stated. "I, along with the Louisiana Department of Justice, remain committed to ensuring justice is carried out in all death penalty cases in Louisiana. I took an oath to follow and defend the law. Now Jessie Hoffman faces ultimate judgment before God in the hereafter. My prayers remain with Molly Elliott’s family and friends, and that no family member ever has to go through the pain that they still feel to this day for the loss of someone like Molly."
Hoffman’s execution marks a significant moment in the history of capital punishment in the United States. He is only the fifth person in the U.S. to be executed by nitrogen gas, with the previous four occurring in Alabama. He is also the seventh person executed in the U.S. in 2025 and the first in Louisiana since 2010.
Currently, only four states – Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Oklahoma – allow death by nitrogen gas. However, Alabama is the only other state that has actually used the method.
The use of nitrogen gas in executions comes at a time when the national trend in executions is declining. This decline is attributed to legal challenges and the difficulty in obtaining lethal injection drugs. Consequently, a majority of states have either abolished the death penalty or have paused its implementation. The debate over the morality, legality, and humaneness of capital punishment continues to rage across the country. The execution of Jessie Hoffman in Louisiana is sure to further fuel this discussion.
