States can't figure out how to execute inmates
The Excerpt
USA TODAY
4.1 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 25 January 2024
⏱️ 14 minutes
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Summary
An Alabama inmate is scheduled to be the first in the nation put to death by nitrogen gas. It's the latest attempt for states that can't seem to figure out how to execute inmates.
The Ohio Senate voted to override the governor's veto of a bill dealing with the rights of transgender children. This means the state will restrict medical care for transgender minors and block transgender girls from female sports.
The national debt is at a record high, but no one can seem to agree on what that means. Not even economists.
Think you'll work past 70? Think again. Why most Americans retire earlier.
And, you can flush with the lid open or closed. Experts say it doesn't matter. Germs spread, either way.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Wunderry Plus subscribers can listen to USA Today's the excerpt ad free right now. |
| 0:05.0 | Join Wunderry Plus in the Wundery app. |
| 0:08.0 | Good morning, I'm Taylor Wilson and today is Thursday January 25th, 2024. This is the |
| 0:19.4 | excerpt. Today states are struggling to figure out how to execute inmates. |
| 0:27.0 | Plus Ohio has restricted health care for transgender kids and we check in with the national debt. |
| 0:35.7 | The state of Alabama tried to execute Kenneth Eugene Smith but failed. |
| 0:39.9 | His botched execution is one of a series around the country revealing major flaws |
| 0:44.8 | and forcing states to reconsider how they execute inmates. I spoke with USA Today |
| 0:49.6 | breaking news reporter Janine Santucci to learn more. |
| 0:53.2 | Janine, thanks for hopping on the excerpt today. |
| 0:55.2 | No problem, thank you for having me. |
| 0:57.3 | So Janine, let's start here. |
| 0:59.3 | Can you tell us about Kenneth Smith and what happened with his previous failed lethal injection? |
| 1:05.6 | He was one of two men convicted and sentenced to death for a murder for hire plot against |
| 1:12.1 | a preacher's wife in 1988. |
| 1:15.6 | His case is notable because it's not the first time |
| 1:20.0 | that they have attempted to execute him in Alabama. |
| 1:23.6 | In November 2022, lethal injection was tried and failed |
| 1:30.2 | after executioners couldn't find a good vein. |
| 1:33.7 | He was strapped to a table for hours before it was eventually called off |
| 1:38.8 | and he's described the experience as traumatizing. |
| 1:43.9 | And you know he's chosen nitrogen hypoxia for his next execution attempt. |
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