In a somber day for capital punishment in the United States, both Texas and Alabama carried out executions on September 26, 2025. These twin events highlight a significant uptick in U.S. executions, with 2025 now marking the highest number of death sentences carried out since 2014.
Alabama’s Nitrogen Gas Execution: Geoffrey West
In Alabama, Geoffrey West, 50, was executed by nitrogen gas for the 1997 murder of gas station clerk Margaret Berry. West was convicted of capital murder for fatally shooting Berry, 33, in the back of the head during a robbery at Harold’s Chevron in Attalla. Prosecutors stated the killing was carried out “execution style” to eliminate a witness, with approximately $250 stolen from a cookie can. West’s execution marked another instance of Alabama employing nitrogen gas, a method it first utilized in 2024. This controversial method involves strapping a gas mask to the inmate’s face and forcing them to breathe pure nitrogen, thereby depriving them of oxygen. While proponents claim it is a humane and painless process, critics, including United Nations experts, have denounced it as potentially cruel and inhumane, likening it to torture. Alabama has now carried out six nitrogen gas executions, with Louisiana having used it once. West, in his final statement, apologized to the victim’s family and expressed his newfound peace, stating, “I urge everyone, especially young people, to find God.” Governor Kay Ivey declined to commute West’s sentence, emphasizing her duty to uphold Alabama law. Berry’s son, Will, had sought a reprieve, but his request was denied by the Department of Corrections due to security regulations.
Texas Executes Blaine Milam in Brutal Child Killing Case
Hours after West’s execution, Texas put Blaine Milam, 35, to death by lethal injection for the horrific 2008 killing of his girlfriend’s 13-month-old daughter, Amora Carson. Milam and his then-girlfriend claimed the child’s death was part of an “exorcism” intended to expel a demon. Court documents revealed the toddler suffered an unimaginable level of brutality, including being beaten, strangled, sexually mutilated, and bearing 24 human bite marks across her body, injuries the medical examiner described as the worst he had ever seen. Milam’s legal team had argued for a halt to his execution, citing intellectual disability and questioning the reliability of forensic evidence, including bite mark analysis, which has faced scrutiny in recent years. However, his appeals were rejected by various courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. In his final words, Milam thanked the state corrections department for its faith-based programs and expressed his love for his supporters. Milam’s case gained broader attention after being featured in Werner Herzog’s 2013 documentary “On Death Row.”
National Context: A Surge in Executions
With these two executions, the United States has now carried out 33 executions in 2025, a figure not seen since 2014, when 35 inmates were put to death. This represents a significant increase compared to previous years. Florida currently leads the nation in executions for 2025, with 12, surpassing its own modern-day record set in 2014. Texas, historically the state with the most executions, has carried out its fifth execution of the year with Milam’s death. While the number of new death sentences handed down by juries has been declining in recent years, the current pace of executions suggests a renewed intensity in the application of capital punishment. This trend has sparked renewed debate and activism among those who oppose the death penalty, with abolitionists often pointing to policy shifts and the influence of political leadership.
Legal Debates and the Future of Capital Punishment
The executions of West and Milam underscore ongoing legal and ethical debates surrounding capital punishment. Alabama’s use of nitrogen gas continues to draw international criticism and legal challenges, despite its status as an authorized alternative to lethal injection. Meanwhile, Milam’s case highlights persistent questions about the validity of forensic evidence and the criteria for intellectual disability in capital cases. As the year progresses, the established pace of executions in Texas and other states suggests that the national conversation around the death penalty remains as critical and contentious as ever. The current news cycle brings into sharp focus the ongoing application of capital punishment across the U.S.
