Convicted killer’s aggressive final act marks controversial execution

Carey Dale Grayson, convicted for the brutal 1994 murder of Vicki Deblieux, shocked witnesses during his execution by nitrogen hypoxia in Alabama with a defiant display of profanity and raised middle fingers.

Grayson, the third person in U.S. history to be executed using the controversial method, was strapped to a gurney and declared dead after fifteen minutes of gas inhalation.

As the nitrogen gas began to flow through the blue mask secured to his face, Grayson reportedly raised both middle fingers in defiance.

For the next fifteen minutes, he shook, thrashed his head, and strained against his restraints until he was pronounced dead.

In his final moments, he indulged in a lavish last meal consisting of a seafood platter, soft tacos, beef burritos, tostadas, chips with guacamole, and a Mountain Dew Blast, all sourced from local restaurants.

Despite last-minute appeals by his lawyers arguing the execution method caused unconstitutional suffering, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the sentence.

His execution reignited debates over the ethics of capital punishment, especially given the brutal nature of his crime and the unique circumstances of his punishment, as his co-defendants had their sentences commuted to life in prison.

Grayson’s heinous crime, involving the torture, murder, and mutilation of Deblieux, left an indelible mark on her family and the public.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey highlighted the contrast between the method of Grayson’s execution and the unimaginable violence inflicted on his victim, while offering condolences to Deblieux’s family.

However, not all found closure in the execution. Jodi Haley, Deblieux’s daughter, expressed her opposition to capital punishment, calling for an end to executions, which she described as “murder under the guise of justice.”