(TheIndependentStar.com) – Using a bombshell new method, Louisiana delivered justice by executing Jessie Hoffman Jr. for the heinous 1996 murder of Mary “Molly” Elliott.
After nearly 30 years of delays, Republican Governor Jeff Landry’s administration finally resumed capital punishment in a state where justice for violent criminals had been stalled since 2010.
The execution marked Louisiana’s first use of nitrogen gas, making it the second state after Alabama to employ this method.
The decision to use nitrogen hypoxia came after pharmaceutical companies bowed to pressure from anti-death penalty activists and refused to provide drugs for lethal injections.
Hoffman’s brutal crime shocked Louisiana residents when he kidnapped, r***d, and then murdered Elliott by shooting her in the head after she begged for mercy.
During his trial, prosecutor Kim McElwee emphasized the viciousness of the crime, stating: “When she asked for mercy, his response was to put a bullet through her head. Jessie Hoffman has earned the death penalty.”
Attorney General Liz Murrill said, “Justice has been delayed for far too long. I, along with the Louisiana Department of Justice, remain committed to ensuring justice is carried out in all death penalty cases in Louisiana.”
The execution lasted around 19 minutes and put an end to a case that had languished in the court system for nearly three decades.
Officials described the execution process as “flawless” despite media reports of some convulsive activity during the procedure.
Governor Landry, who has taken a strong law-and-order stance since taking office, made his position crystal clear.
He said, “It is unfortunate that bad people exist, and they do real bad things. When these acts of violence happen, society must not tolerate it. If you commit heinous acts of violence in this State, it will cost you your life. Plain and simple.”
The victim’s husband, Andy Elliott, expressed mixed emotions after the execution, noting “relief that this long nightmare is finally over.”
He also acknowledged renewed grief and has advocated for reforms to prevent the excessive delays that forced his family to wait 29 years for justice.
Predictably, anti-death penalty activists firmly opposed the execution.
Some compared nitrogen gas to methods used in the Holocaust, an offensive comparison that trivializes actual Holocaust victims while elevating the status of a convicted murderer.
Defense attorneys attempted to block the execution by claiming nitrogen hypoxia violated Hoffman’s ability to practice Buddhist breathing techniques, an argument the courts rejected.
The Supreme Court declined to intervene in the case, allowing the state to carry out its sentence.
The execution signals a renewed commitment to upholding law and order in Louisiana.
With Arkansas recently adopting nitrogen hypoxia and states like Ohio and Nebraska exploring similar methods, more states appear ready to overcome activist obstruction and ensure justice is served for the most vicious crimes.
Murderer Jessie Hoffman put to death by nitrogen gas in Louisiana’s first execution in 15 years pic.twitter.com/uSRElzALNz
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