Kenneth Eugene Smith

Kenneth Eugene Smith became part of the modern history of problematic American executions because of what happened in Alabama on November 17, 2022. The case is included in the Death Penalty Information Center’s compilation of well-known botched or failed executions.

The execution case

Smith was strapped to the gurney for hours while the execution team tried multiple access points. Officials called off the execution at 11:21 p.m. when they concluded there was not enough time left. Smith was later executed by nitrogen hypoxia in January 2024.

Outcome

Kenneth Eugene Smith survived after officials could not establish the required IV lines before the warrant expired. That outcome places the case in the same historical network as other American execution failures, including Romell Broom, Doyle Hamm, Clayton Lockett, Joseph Wood, Willie Francis and, in 2026, Christa Pike.

Why this profile matters

This distinction is especially useful for cases such as Kenneth Eugene Smith, where public interest often centers on the execution itself rather than only on the original conviction.

Sources

– Death Penalty Information Center — Botched Executions (case entry for Kenneth Eugene Smith)