On the day that Louisiana’s first execution in 15 years is scheduled to take place, attorneys for the inmate are hoping for a last-minute court ruling to halt the death penalty from being carried out.

In Louisiana's gas execution method, a death row inmate would be forced to breathe the pure nitrogen through a gas mask fastened tightly to their face for either 15 minutes or for 5 minutes after the inmate's heart rate reaches a flatline on an EKG, whichever is longer.