On Wednesday, Alabama moved another step closer to carrying out the first execution by nitrogen hypoxia in the country. A federal judge rejected a request from convicted killer Kenneth Smith out of Colbert County to halt his execution. Smith was one of the men who killed Elizabeth Sennett more than 35 years ago.
Charles Sennett was just 25 years old back in 1988 when he got the call that his mother Elizabeth was brutally killed in Colbert County. WAAY 31 sat down with him at his deer processing shop in Rogersville, where he walked us through what his life has been like since then. He had a lot to share, as one of the men who took his mother’s life is just 15 days away from his death.
Charles Sennett said, “Here it's 35 years later, and we’re still dealing with it. You know, Alabama has the worst judicial system in the world.”
Charles Sennett remembers getting the call on a day that would forever change his life. He tells me he joined the Navy after high school and could not visit his mother as much as he wanted to before her brutal killing. He says he fully supports the execution of Kenneth Smith and is pleased with Wednesday's decision.
Charles Sennett said, “This is what he asked for; he asked for the hypoxia to begin with, and they screwed it up and couldn’t get the other one done. And so now he’s trying to fight. It’s what he asked for. To me, be a man. You know, deal with it. You’ve done it. Get it over with.”
Charles Sennett continued, saying, “Why should we have to suffer? And some of these people out there say, 'Well, he doesn't need to suffer like that.’ Well, he didn’t ask Mama how to suffer? They just did it. They stabbed her multiple times.”
Those supporting Kenneth Smith say the state is using him as a test subject. His spiritual advisor, Reverend Dr. Jeff Hood, released a statement just a few hours ago. It reads in part, “Horror is an understatement. The state of Alabama now has the permission of a federal court to suffocate its citizens. Let there be no doubt; we will resist such tyranny until we can resist no more."
Attorneys for Smith say they are likely to file an appeal within the coming days. But Charles Sennett says there's no time to waste. His family’s healing and fight for justice have gone on for far too long.
Charles Sennett told us, “I’m sure if I were in the same situation, I would be appealing my butt off too. But I think the appeals are done. Everything is done. I don’t know what else you can appeal for. I know I saw something about his spiritual advisor wanting to be in the room, wanting to be able to touch him, you know, or whatever. Well, grab his foot. You’ll be far enough away from him. He’ll be fine. I don’t think he’s going to be able to save him now. And I hope his life is right. He has to pay. He has to pay for what he’s done.”
Charles Sennett says he, his brother, and other family members plan to attend Smith's execution. The window for it opens on Jan. 25.
