It was the fifth time nitrogen gas was used in the U.S. after four executions by the same method — all in Alabama.

Louisiana used nitrogen gas to put Jessie Hoffman Jr., 46, to death Tuesday evening in the state's first execution in 15 years. Nitrogen gas has been used just four other times to execute a person in the United States — all in Alabama, the only other state with a protocol for the method.

Before his execution, lawyers for Jessie Hoffman Jr., who was 18 when he was convicted of the 1996 murder of a 28-year-old woman, argued that the nitrogen gas execution infringed on his freedom to practice religion.