White House 'troubled' by Alabama's new gas execution

STORY: Marshall told reporters on Friday that asphyxiation by nitrogen, the first new execution method since lethal injections began in the U.S. in 1982, is "no longer an untested method."

He added that 43 other people on death row had chosen asphyxiation over lethal injections since lawmakers approved the method in 2018.

"Alabama has done it, and now so can you, and we stand ready to assist you in implementing this method in your states," Marshall said.

Alabama called the new method "humane," while human rights groups condemned it as cruel and torturous.

Asked about the execution, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called it "troubling" and pointed to President Joe Biden's support for U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland's moratorium on the federal death penalty, pending review of the policies and procedures governing its use.

"The president has long had said and has had deep, deep concerns with how the death penalty is implemented and whether it is consistent, consistent with our our values," Jean-Pierre said.