Death Row Inmate Christopher Sepulvado Dies Before Scheduled Execution

Christopher Sepulvado, an 81-year-old man on death row in Louisiana, died from natural causes just days before an execution scheduled for March 17. He had been convicted of killing his stepson in 1992. His attorney criticized the planned method of execution as inhumane, while state officials expressed their dissatisfaction with the delayed delivery of justice.

Christopher Sepulvado, an 81-year-old man who had been on death row in Louisiana for over 30 years, passed away at the Louisiana State Penitentiary due to natural causes stemming from his pre-existing medical conditions. His death occurred just days after a March execution date by nitrogen gas was scheduled. Sepulvado was convicted in 1993 for the murder of his 6-year-old stepson, following a tragic incident involving abuse and scalding water.

In recent years, it was determined by medical professionals that Sepulvado was terminally ill, leading to his recommendation for hospice care. His attorney, federal public defender Shawn Nolan, expressed sorrow over his client’s death, deeming the planned execution method as barbaric given Sepulvado’s frail condition. “The idea that the state was planning to strap this tiny, frail, dying old man to a chair and force him to breathe toxic gas into his failing lungs is simply barbaric,” Nolan remarked.

Earlier this month, Louisiana authorities resumed death sentences after a 15-year hiatus, prompted by a lack of political action and difficulties in procuring lethal injection drugs. Governor Jeff Landry advocated for the implementation of nitrogen gas executions, which were approved by the state’s Legislature last year. Attorney General Liz Murrill stated that justice should have been rendered sooner and lamented that Louisiana failed to fulfill this obligation during Sepulvado’s life.

Sepulvado’s execution was set to occur on March 17, with another inmate, Jessie Hoffman—convicted in 1996—scheduled for execution on March 18. Hoffman had previously challenged Louisiana’s lethal injection protocol on grounds of cruel and unusual punishment, with a federal judge recently reopening his lawsuit after it had been dismissed in 2022. The first execution using nitrogen gas took place in Alabama last year, which has now utilized the method for four executions.

The recent death of Christopher Sepulvado highlights significant issues within the death penalty system in Louisiana. His condition and the scheduled execution by nitrogen gas have raised ethical concerns regarding the treatment of terminally ill inmates. As Louisiana resumes executing death sentences, these discussions on humane treatment and methods of execution remain pertinent.

Original Source: ktar.com