The state of Alabama is set to carry out the nation’s first execution via nitrogen hypoxia on Thursday, officials said.

Kenneth Eugene Smith is set to be executed inside the William C. Holman Correctional Facility for the 1988 murder-for-hire killing of Alabama native Elizabeth Sennett, according to a report.

The execution is slated to proceed at 6:00 p.m. CST, when a mask will be placed on Smith’s face, and nitrogen will end his life.

Nitrogen naturally makes up roughly 78% of the air that people inhale, but pure nitrogen inhaled at the right level will deprive the body of oxygen and kill a person in what experts believe to be a painless procedure.

In a rare turn of events, Thursday evening will not be the first time that Smith will step into an execution chamber.

He was slated to be executed via lethal injection in November 2022, but officials carrying out the execution could not manage to find a second suitable vein to inject the lethal substance, and the procedure lasted for four hours until his death warrant expired, according to the report.

Attorneys representing Smith have spoken out against the new execution method, citing constitutional and religious concerns.

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They have argued that the mask required to be placed over Smith’s face will interfere with his ability to pray and issue a final statement.

On Wednesday, the United States Supreme Court announced it would not stay Smith’s execution.