"Tennessee was torturing a man who maintains his innocence." — ACLU counsel Melanie Verdecia
Execution Halted After Medical Failure
The execution of Tony Carruthers in Tennessee was halted on Thursday after medical personnel struggled to establish a backup intravenous (IV) line for lethal injection, according to the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC).
While a primary IV line was quickly set, attempts to establish a backup line, as required by protocol, were unsuccessful. TDOC also reported failure in inserting a central line, leading to the execution being called off.
Legal and Medical Context
Prior to the halt, Carruthers' attorneys filed an emergency stay of execution, citing TDOC's inability to obtain intravenous access for the lethal injection. After the execution was paused, Carruthers was removed from the gurney for a medical assessment, according to federal public defender Amy Harwell.
Attorneys for Carruthers criticized the state's actions, with ACLU counsel Melanie Verdecia stating that Tennessee was "torturing a man who maintains his innocence."
Background
Carruthers was convicted in the 1994 kidnapping and murder of Marcellos Anderson, Delois Anderson, and Frederick Tucker. He has maintained his innocence. His legal team had previously raised concerns about the state using expired drugs for the execution and had sought DNA testing of evidence, which was denied. The state offered co-defendant James Montgomery a plea deal, and he was released in 2015.
Previous Moratorium
Tennessee had ended a three-year moratorium on executions in 2024, which was imposed after failing to properly test lethal injection drugs. An independent review later confirmed that drugs used in 2018 executions were fully tested. Carruthers was the first execution scheduled in Tennessee this year.