Louisiana AG, Caddo DA discuss state’s resumption of executions

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) — After 15 years, Louisiana has resumed executions and joined three other states in a controversial new method.

“Louisiana has decided that when you take a life in certain aggravated circumstances, you should give your life up; and that’s what we’re operating on,” Caddo District Attorney James E. Stewart Sr. said.

There have been countless attempts by anti-death penalty groups to prevent states from being able to obtain the drugs that were used to carry out the death penalty.

Nitrogen gas executions are now approved in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Oklahoma.

“States who intend to carry out the law of the state are looking for alternative methods to carry out the penalty.” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said.

Three execution methods currently approved in Louisiana are lethal injection, electrocution and nitrogen hypoxia.

“The nitrogen hypoxia has been successfully used in Alabama, and I think it will be successfully used here,” Murrill said.

There are 63 people on death row in Louisiana, including 13 from Caddo Parish.

“You know, I believe as in Caddo, the cases we have we are at a good place with moving forward with these cases,” Stewart said.

“Our prior governor was opposed to the death penalty, and he made sure that during his term he never carried out the penalty,” Murrill said. “I think that’s a miscarriage of justice.”

Stewart said, “The question is what value do you place on life?”

According to the Supreme Court, Louisiana has the highest wrongful conviction rate in the country. So what safeguards are in place for those convicted to prevent wrongful death?

“These are cases that have been through multiple levels of reviews through the court of appeal,” Murrill said. “I’m confident in these convictions, and these are some of the most heinous crimes that can be committed by one human being against another.”

“We have conversations with victims’ families before we ever determine whether or not we’re going to seek the death penalty,” Stewart explained. “We have a good understanding of how they feel and what they want us to do.”

Could resuming executions after 15 years help deter crime?

“I don’t know that it is. I really don’t believe that the people who commit these types of crimes think about the consequences of the crime; they just do the crime.” Stewart said.

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