A federal judge rules that Alabama’s planned use of nitrogen gas for executions does not violate the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. The decision rejects a legal challenge brought by an Alabama inmate, who argued that nitrogen gas execution would cause excessive suffering. In ruling against the inmate, the judge concludes that the method is constitutional under the Eighth Amendment and does not fall into the category of punishments barred by the Constitution. The ruling addresses claims that the method would inflict more pain or suffering than permitted, finding no constitutional violation in the state’s approach. The Independent and CBS News both report the same outcome: the court upholds the legality of nitrogen gas executions. The Winnipeg Free Press also reports that the federal judge maintains the constitutionality of the method, in line with the other coverage. The decision is issued at the federal level, with the question of constitutionality resolved in this case, though further legal steps are not detailed in the provided summaries.