Alabama Executes Geoffrey West by Nitrogen Gas for 1997 Murder

Alabama carried out the execution of Geoffrey Todd West on Thursday night, utilizing nitrogen gas, a method the state has now employed six times. West, 50, was pronounced dead at 6:22 p.m. at William C. Holman Correctional Facility for the 1997 murder of Etowah County gas station clerk Margaret Parrish Berry during a $250 robbery.

The execution proceeded despite a heartfelt plea for clemency from Will Berry, the victim’s son, who had delivered a petition to Governor Kay Ivey on Tuesday. Berry, who stated he had forgiven West and did not want the state to seek “vengeance” in his family’s name, expressed a desire for a relationship with West and his family. Governor Ivey, however, upheld her “solemn duty as governor to carry out these laws,” reiterating that Alabama law imposes death for the most egregious forms of murder.

In his final statement, released by his attorney, West apologized for his crime and expressed peace, stating he looked forward to “seeing Mrs. Berry when I get there.” He also urged young people to find God and consider their choices. During the execution, West declined to speak in the death chamber but offered thumbs-ups to his attorney and spiritual advisor. Witnesses observed him cough, gasp deeply, and appear to foam at the mouth, with his face turning purple, before becoming still.

The execution of West comes as Alabama continues to utilize nitrogen hypoxia, a method that has drawn scrutiny. Anti-death penalty activists are scheduled to unveil a new billboard in Montgomery on Friday, opposing the upcoming execution of Anthony Boyd, slated for October 23. Boyd’s legal team is challenging the nitrogen execution method, citing concerns about potential brain damage or other serious injuries.

West’s attorneys, from the Federal Defenders Office, reflected on the “grave mistakes” West made but noted his sincere remorse and condemnation of the prison system for not allowing a meeting between West and Will Berry. They called for societal reflection on capital punishment, justice, mercy, and redemption.

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