After nitrogen execution blocked, convicted killer of famous Elvis impersonator set to die by lethal injection in Alabama

Key Points:

• Jeffery Lee, convicted for the 1998 double murder of an Elvis Presley impersonator and a pawnshop employee in Alabama, is scheduled for execution by lethal injection Thursday night after his previous execution by nitrogen gas was blocked by a judge.
• Alabama initially planned to execute Lee using nitrogen gas, a new and controversial method, but a federal judge ruled the protocol unconstitutional, leading to a rescheduling of the execution via lethal injection.
• Lee's legal team argues the state should not switch execution methods after previously agreeing to nitrogen hypoxia, and they have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay, while supporters highlight that the jury recommended life imprisonment, which was overridden by the judge.
• The case highlights ongoing debates over execution methods in the U.S., with lethal injection remaining the primary method despite difficulties obtaining drugs, and nitrogen gas executions drawing criticism for potential cruelty.
• Lee is one of several Alabama death row inmates sentenced to death despite jury recommendations for life, a practice abolished in 2017 but not applied retroactively, fueling clemency campaigns and legal challenges.