Joe Nathan James Jr was executed by lethal injection on Thursday, against the wishes of his victim's family. He was the eighth person to be put to death in the United States so far this year, and the second from Alabama.

In the moments leading up to his gruesome murder by the state, a news reporter was forced to change her outfit by the Alabama Department of Corrections, because her skirt and her open-toe high-heeled shoes were considered too revealing.

Yes, while a man was being strapped down to meet his end in the world's largest prison system at the hands of a governmental institution designed to serve power rather than justice, Ivana Shatara's skirt and shoes were deemed by authorities to be the most offensive thing going on in that moment.

And it was arguably the most American thing that has ever happened.

Reading by Tim Foley.

In The US You Can't Witness An Execution If Your Skirt Is Too Revealing

Readings of all Caitlin Johnstone's articles, usually by her co-writer Tim Foley.