仅事实
阿拉巴马州以氮气执行杰弗里·韦斯特死刑，罪因1997年谋杀案
Summary
阿拉巴马州使用氮气执行了50岁的杰弗里·托德·韦斯特，罪因为1997年谋杀玛格丽特·帕里什·贝瑞，这是该州第六次采用此执行方式。
阿拉巴马州于周四晚上在威廉·C·霍尔曼惩教设施执行了50岁的杰弗里·托德·韦斯特死刑，采用氮气作为执行方式。韦斯特因1997年在埃托瓦县一次加油站抢劫中谋杀33岁的玛格丽特·帕里什·贝瑞被定罪。这次执行是该州自2024年采用氮气作为注射死刑替代方法以来的第六次使用。
执行前，韦斯特在狱长的要求下拒绝发表临终陈述。然而，他的律师提供了一份书面声明，表达了他的悔意：“我已私下向玛格丽特·帕里什·贝瑞的家人道歉，并对她的儿子威尔所给予的宽恕感到谦卑。”他还提到自己最近在天主教教堂受洗，并表示“我内心平静，因为我知道我将去往何处。”
执行于下午5点56分左右开始。韦斯特被绑在担架上，面部覆盖着防毒面具，最初几分钟内有明显动作，包括摇头和握紧拳头。6点22分被宣布死亡。
受害者的儿子威尔·贝瑞此前曾敦促州长凯·艾维将韦斯特的死刑改判为无期徒刑，强调再一次的死亡不会帮助他的家庭愈合。尽管有此呼吁，艾维州长仍然推进了执行，并表示：“近30年前，玛格丽特·帕里什·贝瑞去便利店上班，却再也无法回家。杰弗里·韦斯特带着抢劫和杀人的意图进入，懦弱地从背后射击了贝瑞女士。”
阿拉巴马州使用氮气执行死刑一直是争议话题。该方法通过用纯氮气替代可呼吸空气，导致缺氧而死。州官员声称此过程人道且高效，但批评者对其有效性及可能造成的不必要痛苦表示担忧。媒体目击者报道了此前使用该方法执行时的明显身体反应。
杰弗里·韦斯特的执行凸显了围绕死刑执行方法及其伦理考量的持续讨论。
来源
CBS News事实核查
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Alabama executed Geoffrey Todd West, 50, on Thursday evening at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility, employing nitrogen gas as the method of execution.
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West was convicted of the 1997 murder of 33-year-old Margaret Parrish Berry during a gas station robbery in Etowah County.
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This execution marks the state's sixth use of nitrogen gas since its adoption as an alternative to lethal injection in 2024.
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Prior to the execution, West declined to make a final statement when prompted by the warden.
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In a written statement provided by his attorney, he expressed remorse: 'I have apologized privately to the family of Margaret Parrish Berry, and am humbled by the forgiveness her son, Will, has extended.'
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The execution commenced at approximately 5:56 p.m. West, strapped to a gurney with a gas mask covering his face, exhibited visible movements during the initial minutes, including head rocking and clenched fists. He was pronounced dead at 6:22 p.m.
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Will Berry, the victim's son, had previously urged Governor Kay Ivey to commute West's sentence to life imprisonment, emphasizing that another death would not aid his family's healing.
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