An inmate on Alabama’s death row, Demetrius Frazier, was executed this week using nitrogen gas, making him the fourth person in the United States to face this controversial method of execution.
Frazier, who was 52 years old, was pronounced dead at 6:36 p.m. on Thursday, February 6, at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama. He had been sentenced to death for the brutal rape and murder of Pauline Brown in 1991, as stated in a release from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office.
Before his execution, Frazier expressed remorse in his final words, saying, “First of all, I want to apologize to the friends and family of Pauline Brown, what happened to her should never have happened.” He also extended apologies to the Black community and addressed Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, from whom he sought a return to serve a life sentence for non-related crimes. He concluded with, “Detroit strong. I love everyone on death row. Let’s go.”
The tragic events occurred on November 26, 1991, when Frazier broke into Brown’s apartment in Birmingham, Alabama. He awoke her during the night, demanded money, and assaulted her at gunpoint. Frazier then fatally shot Brown after she pleaded for her life. He later confessed to the crime while being questioned about a different case.
In 1993, Frazier was convicted for another rape and the murder of a 14-year-old girl in Detroit. He received multiple life sentences for those crimes. In 1995, he was tried in Alabama for Pauline Brown’s murder, leading to his conviction and death sentence.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall declared Frazier a “monster” responsible for the deaths of two innocent women, highlighting the severe impact of his violent actions.
Alabama made history by being the first state to carry out an execution using nitrogen hypoxia, a method that involves replacing oxygen in the body with nitrogen. Officials claim it is the most humane and painless method available. Despite this, some organizations, such as the American Veterinary Medical Association, have expressed concerns, labeling the method as unacceptable for most mammals.
On Thursday, Marshall reaffirmed that this execution method has been proven both constitutional and effective.
