A man who was on death row for a fatal petrol station robbery in 1997 was executed this week in a botched procedure. Geoffrey Todd West, aged 50, met his end through nitrogen gas at the William C Holman Correctional Facility in Alabama. West, when asked for any final words by the prison warden, simply replied, “no sir.” He was secured to a gurney, sporting a blue-rimmed gas mask, and signaled approval to his lawyer as the execution commenced around 5:56 pm.
During the process, West struggled for breath with his eyes open for two minutes, showing slight foaming at the mouth and restless head movements as reported by the Express. Eventually, he became motionless at approximately 6:07 pm and was officially pronounced dead at 6:22 pm.
West had been convicted of the murder of Margaret Parrish Berry, a mother of two, who was fatally shot during a robbery at a gas station on March 28th, 1997. Prosecutors argued that Berry was killed to eliminate witnesses, with court records revealing a theft of $250 from the station’s cash box.
Expressing remorse, West told the Associated Press over the phone, “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t regret it and wish that I could take that back.” In a final statement conveyed by his attorney, West shared that he had privately apologized to Margaret’s family and felt humbled by the forgiveness shown by her son, Will.
Will Berry, Margaret’s son who was 11 at the time of the tragedy, had pleaded for West’s sentence to be commuted to life imprisonment, forgiving him along with his father. However, Governor Ivey notified Berry of her decision to proceed with the execution earlier this month despite the plea.
Reflecting on the event, Governor Ivey stated, “Tonight, the lawfully imposed death sentence has been carried out, justice has been served, and I pray for healing for all.” West’s lawyers raised concerns about the execution, prompting societal reflections on capital punishment, age considerations, and the balance between justice, mercy, and redemption.
In a statement, Will Berry expressed hope that West finds peace in the afterlife, highlighting that West’s actions that night were out of character according to people who knew him well. The execution by nitrogen hypoxia, which was first used in the US last year in Alabama and has been employed in seven executions since, has drawn criticism from UN experts who caution against its potentially cruel and inhumane nature. The experts called for an immediate ban on execution by nitrogen asphyxiation, citing violations of international law.