State Says Muslim Inmate Can Be Executed without Chaplin Present

The state of Alabama says a Muslim inmate can be executed next week without a Christian prison chaplain in the death chamber.

State lawyers wrote in a Thursday court filing that the prison system will waive the presence of the chaplain to accommodate the inmate’s religious beliefs.

Dominique Ray is scheduled to be executed February 7 for the 1995 fatal stabbing of 15-year-old Tiffany Harville. Ray is seeking a stay, saying the state is violating his religious beliefs by not allowing an imam in the chamber and requiring a Christian chaplain there.

He also is asking to be executed by another method called nitrogen hypoxia. Ray missed a deadline for selecting nitrogen. Ray said at the time he thought it would violate his religious beliefs to select the method of his death.

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