Death row executions in Tennessee may soon resume after the completion of a revision of the lethal injection protocol by the state’s prison system. This development comes after a pause of over two years.
Executions in Tennessee have been halted since April 2022, following an order from Governor Bill Lee. The decision came after a report and subsequent lawsuits exposed the state’s failure to conduct proper testing of lethal injection drugs, a requirement outlined in its own protocol. This revelation raised concerns about other issues within the state’s execution process.
The execution of death row inmate Oscar Smith, scheduled for Thursday, April 21, 2022, was put on hold. This delay occurred due to a problem with the lethal injection procedure. Smith’s execution, which would have been the first in the state since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, was consequently postponed.
Following the temporary halt, it is reported that Governor Lee assigned the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) with the responsibility of formulating a fresh death penalty protocol, which needed to be finalized before executions could recommence. Although no specific deadline was given to the state’s prison system for the completion of the new protocol, they recently announced on Friday, December 27, 2024, that the revision has been successfully concluded after a span of over two years since the pause.
The Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) has announced that they will be using the single drug pentobarbital for administering lethal injections.
Commissioner Frank Strada expressed confidence that the lethal injection process can be carried out in accordance with departmental policy and state laws.
According to reports, Strada wasted no time in developing a revised protocol as soon as he assumed his position in January 2023.
The Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) collaborated with the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office to create an updated protocol that adheres to legal requirements and ensures the efficient and lawful implementation of death sentences.