BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana executed death row inmate Jessie Hoffman Tuesday night, marking the state's first use of nitrogen hypoxia as a method of execution. According to officials, Hoffman was pronounced deceased at 6:50 p.m.

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.

The U.S. Supreme Court has denied Jessie Hoffman’s appeal in a 5-4 decision, clearing the way for Louisiana’s first execution in 15 years. Warden Darrel Vannoy says Hoffman will be executed between 6 p.