Alabama
Echoes of Dostoevsky: An Appeal Against Alabama’s Deadly Experiment
As we prepare to usher in 2024, the outlook on Alabama’s administration of the death penalty holds many terrible knowns, and an even greater number of grim unknowns.
At the top of any capital punishment-watcher’s list: Is Alabama really going to move forward with the first state-sanctioned nitrogen gassing execution in US history?
If all goes according to Montgomery’s plan, Kenneth Smith will serve as a test subject for this novel form of execution. Smith — a man sentenced to death for a 1988 murder-for-hire scheme, even though 11 jurors recommended a sentence of life without parole — survived a botched execution attempt in Nov. 2022.
Last year, I ventured: “[P]utting aside gassing, perhaps in the coming year Alabama will hire a new contingent of anonymous, cold-hearted executioners who will instead concentrate on implementing a ‘new and improved’ lethal injection protocol—as Dr. Joel Zivot, an anesthesiologist by training, recently prognosticated in an essay for Slate—a protocol that will ‘eliminate the arms as a location for the IV,’ going instead straight ‘to the neck or genital region only, from now on?’”
A frequent, fervid critic of Alabama’s death penalty regime in his own right and my sometimes collaborator in the same, Zivot is working overtime to sound the alarm over Smith’s case. Working with Birmingham City School of Law Professor Jon Yorke, Zivot recently submitted a complaint to a panel of UN experts. In a blog post announcing the complaint, Zivot and Yorke wrote: “even though Mr Smith received an unfair trial, and he has already been the victim of a botched and failed execution, the State still wants to kill him.”
Zivot told NPR nitrogen gas exposure can cause “severe hyperventilation [which] can lead to a stroke. So there is some injury that could happen to you … just being in proximity of that. It’s all very concerning. They’re not being realistic about what exactly is at stake here.”
This is a core issue that I’ve raised in the past—an issue that stands to impact members of the clergy, the press, and practically anyone in the vicinity of the execution. It’ll be a damn shame if any of that odorless and invisible—but nevertheless noxious and lethal—gas escapes Alabama’s new gas chamber (into the claustrophobic confines of Holman prison, endangering everyone in the environs).
And I’m not alone in this. Columbia University law professor Bernard Harcourt echoed Zivot’s sentiments in an essay in The New York Times in September, writing: “There are a lot of things that could go wrong. Should the mask not fit properly and oxygen seep in, the person may be left gasping in agony for air and suffer suffocation. This could result in severe brain damage rather than death.”
But you know I don’t want this column to be all doom and gloom. Because, like last year, I insist a new year offers us all new beginnings—a chance to correct wicked and immoral behaviors, up to and including execution.
And it’s because of that spirit of hope that I recently connected Zivot with Representative Chris England, a long-time advocate for justice and prison reform in Alabama; a Democrat from Tuscaloosa, England tried to advance death penalty and parole reform in 2023, but he was overwhelmingly stymied by Republicans, most of whom claim to be pro-life, and yet defend the killing of folks to prove killing’s wrong.
I believe, perhaps naively, that between Zivot, England, and all the many other good men and women devoted to dissuading Alabamians—and all of us collectively as citizens—from this ignoble nitrogen-gassing inauguration that’s scheduled, we can yet avert crisis.
At the outset of Proverbs, King Solomon declares: “Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raised her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?”
King Solomon would pull the plug on this pitiful plan were he here in the flesh, pulling no punches, as Cantor Michael Zoosman and I explained in our recent piece entitled “Jews Must Speak Out Against Alabama’s Planned Nitrogen-Gassing Executions.”
The problem that needs to be acknowledged, to quote the great Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Notes from Underground,” is: “[M]an is so addicted to systems and to abstract conclusions that he is prepared deliberately to distort the truth, to close his eyes and ears, but justify his logic at all cost.” And “man may yet come to find pleasure in the spilling of blood. Indeed, this has already happened.”
Note: This piece originally appeared on Jurist: Echoes of Dostoevsky: An Appeal Against Alabama’s Deadly Experiment. For Proper citation: Stephen A. Cooper, “Echoes of Dostoevsky: An Appeal Against Alabama’s Deadly Experiment,” Jurist, December 28, 2023.
Alabama
Alabama-Texas A&M free livestream: How to watch SEC basketball game, TV, schedule
The No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide play against the No. 10 Texas A&M Aggies in an SEC basketball game tonight. The matchup will begin at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
The Crimson Tide enter this matchup with a 13-2 record, and they have won seven consecutive games. In their most recent game, the Crimson Tide defeated South Carolina 88-68.
During the victory, Alabama’s star guard Mark Sears scored 22 points and shot 7-12 from the field. He also shot 4-6 from beyond the arc, so he will try to perform similarly this evening.
The Aggies also enter this matchup with a 13-2 record, and they have won nine games in a row. The team has a 4-0 record against ranked opponents.
In their most recent game, the Aggies defeated Oklahoma 80-78. During the victory, Zhuric Phelps led the Texas A&M offense. He scored 34 points and shot 6-10 from three-point range, so he will try to continue his great play tonight.
Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
Alabama
Alabama-based content creator reacts to possible TikTok ban
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Some social media users are bracing for a possible ban on the popular social media app TikTok.
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to ban the social media platform by Jan. 19 if the Chinese-owned company does not sell the platform due to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.
It’s a dilemma between free speech and national security.
“Many of the content creators on TikTok are Americans, so they are protected under the First Amendment, and it was also argued that TikTok could be seen as a public forum, and Americans have freedom of speech in a public forum,” Troy University Assistant Professor of journalism and communications Dr. Stefanie East said.
Montgomery-raised content creator Funmi Ford says this ban could affect many Americans financially, not only content creators, but also small business owners.
“There are entrepreneurs that have used TikTok not only to get income but to get new clients,” Ford said. “There’s so many people that use this app to feed their families that I think it’s going to be really hard for them.”
TikTok has provided Ford with a way to share her culture from Accra Ghana and interact with other cultures. She fears without this social media platform, it may be more difficult to make those global connections.
“I feel like TikTok is one of the few places, because it’s video and it’s short form, you got to digest a lot of information, whether good or bad, that either widened your horizon, made you think differently, made you want to travel,” said Ford. “So with it possibly being banned, which we hope it’s not, it’s going to close a window to somebody else’s life, a window to another part of the world that you would not see otherwise.”
TikTok, as well as some of its users, have sued to block the U.S. ban contending that it violates First Amendment rights. The Supreme Court is now faced with the decision between those claims and Congress’ concern the Chinese government may have influence over the social media platform.
President-elect Donald Trump filed a brief at the Supreme Court asking justices to temporarily block the law so he can “pursue a political resolution” once he takes office.
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Alabama
SEC regular season conference winner odds for Auburn and Alabama basketball
The SEC has taken the men’s college basketball world by storm this season. When this week began, the SEC had nine teams in The Associated Press top 25, including six in the top 10.
Auburn and Alabama are in the top 10 and making their marks as favorites to win the national championship. Before they cut down the nets in the Final Four, they will try to win a conference championship.
The SEC regular season conference winner odds for Auburn and Alabama show a pair of teams expected to be there at the end. That’s what we are examining today.
Note: Odds are based on the best value our experts find as of publication; check lines closer to game time to ensure you get the best odds.
SEC regular season conference winner odds
These are the odds for each team to win the SEC regular season men’s basketball conference title from BetMGM Sportsbook:
Team | BetMGM odds to win SEC regular season |
---|---|
Auburn | -115 |
Alabama | +450 |
Tennessee | +500 |
Florida | +800 |
Kentucky | +1800 |
Mississippi State | +2000 |
Texas A&M | +2000 |
Ole Miss | +5000 |
Arkansas | 100-to-1 |
Georgia | 125-to-1 |
Oklahoma | 125-to-1 |
Texas | 125-to-1 |
Missouri | 200-to-1 |
Vanderbilt | 200-to-1 |
LSU | 250-to-1 |
South Carolina | 250-to-1 |
The top five teams in this betting odds market rank in the top eight in this week’s AP poll. The next two are not far behind at Nos. 10 and 14. After that, the odds drop significantly, but even Ole Miss is a top-25 team.
Don’t nitpick about how the odds and rankings compare. Tennessee entered this week undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the nation but lost to Florida on the road by 30 points. With so much parity in college basketball, the regular season is more of a survival challenge than an expectation to win every game.
Auburn and Alabama were among the favorites to win the regular season title when the season began and both teams have played well thus far. They’ll be favorites if they win a large majority of their games and beat a couple of fellow contenders along the way.
Auburn SEC championship odds
Sportsbook | SEC championship odds |
---|---|
BetMGM | -115 |
FanDuel | -130 |
DraftKings | -105 |
No. 2-ranked Auburn (14-1) has lit the court on fire throughout its 14-1 start, including marquee wins over Houston, North Carolina, Iowa State and Purdue. The Tigers’ only loss came on the road against Duke.
The biggest spark has been forward Johni Broome, who averages 18.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.7 blocks. His performance has catapulted him to the top of the Wooden Award odds listed by DraftKings Sportsbook. Broome has odds of -280 while Duke’s Cooper Flagg is at +230. No other player has odds better than 16-to-1.
Broome is the MVP, but five other Auburn players average at least 10 points per game. That’s an incredible feat in this day of college basketball.
The Tigers rank fourth in the nation in points per game with 87.9. They rank first in blocks per game with 6.9 and 26th in shooting percentage allowed at 39.2%
Auburn hits the road to play South Carolina on Saturday before returning home to face No. 14 Mississippi State on Tuesday. A home game against Tennessee looms Jan. 25.
Alabama SEC championship odds
Sportsbook | SEC Championship odds |
---|---|
BetMGM | +450 |
FanDuel | +380 |
DraftKings | +550 |
No. 5 Alabama (13-2) has had an incredible season with the only blemishes being losses to Oregon and Purdue. The Crimson Tide have big wins over Illinois, Houston, North Carolina and Oklahoma.
The whole SEC schedule will be tough, but the next three games especially stand out for Alabama. The Tide play Texas A&M on the road, Ole Miss at home and Kentucky on the road.
Like Auburn, Alabama has balanced scoring at the top. Five players average double figures, led by Mark Sears’ 18.3 points. Fellow returner Grant Nelson has been pivotal, too. He averages 13.1 points and a team-high 8.8 rebounds.
If Alabama is going to win the regular season title, it will have to earn it over the final handful of games. The Tide’s final five games are against Kentucky, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Florida and Auburn.
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