ATMORE, Ala. — Demetrius Terrence Frazier, aged 52, was executed on Thursday evening in Alabama, marking the nation's fourth execution using nitrogen gas. He was pronounced dead at 6:36 p.m. CST following his conviction for the 1991 rape and murder of 41-year-old Pauline Brown. This execution was notable as it was the first in Alabama this year and the third nationwide in 2025, following executions in Texas and South Carolina.

In his final words, Frazier expressed remorse, stating, "First of all, I want to apologize to the family and friends of Pauline Brown. What happened to Pauline Brown should have never happened." He concluded his remarks with, "I love everybody on death row. Detroit Strong," as reported by CBS News.

Frazier's case has been deeply controversial, particularly concerning the method of execution. He was executed by nitrogen hypoxia, where breathable air is replaced with pure nitrogen, leading to death by asphyxiation. Alabama became the first state to employ this method, having executed three inmates with it last year. Frazier chose nitrogen gas as his method of execution in 2018, a decision emphasized by the Alabama Attorney General to defend the procedure's legality and effectiveness against claims that it constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment.

On November 27, 1991, Frazier entered Brown's Birmingham apartment while she slept, raping her at gunpoint after demanding money. He shot her in the head and returned later to search for valuables, according to prosecutors. He was subsequently convicted in Alabama in 1996 and received a death sentence on a 10-2 jury recommendation. Frazier, prior to his transfer to Alabama's death row in 2011, was serving a life sentence in Michigan for the murder of a 14-year-old girl, Crystal Kendrick.

The execution process began around 6:10 p.m. After a final check of the nitrogen mask, Frazier exhibited initial movements but appeared to struggle shortly thereafter. Reports indicate he gasped and quivered before losing consciousness 18 minutes after the gas flow began. Alabama's Corrections Commissioner, John Hamm, stated that Frazier's heart stopped approximately 13 minutes into the execution.

Despite critical perspectives on the method, including that of USA Today, a federal judge ruled against halting Frazier's execution, noting prior executions with nitrogen did not demonstrate evidence of "severe psychological pain or distress" beyond standard execution procedures.

Governor Kay Ivey remarked post-execution, reinforcing Alabama's strict stance on crime, stating, "You don't come to our state and mess with our citizens and get away with it. Rapists and murderers are not welcome on our streets, and tonight, justice was carried out for Pauline Brown and her loved ones," according to AP News.

Frazier's execution has reignited debates over the death penalty and the methods employed, prompting calls for further scrutiny and reform. As the legal ramifications continue to be explored, his case serves as a stark reminder of the complexities surrounding capital punishment in America.