News

Actions

Gov. Lee says he will not intervene in Tony Carruthers' execution

Tony Carruthers is scheduled to be executed on Thursday, May 21st for a triple murder in Memphis. He was sentenced to death in 1996.
Gov. Lee  says he will not intervene in Tony Carruthers' execution
Posted

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced he will not intervene in the execution of Tony Carruthers, as advocates push for further forensic testing.

Carrthuers has been on death row for three decades. He was sentenced to death for a Memphis triple murder in 1996. The ACLU is pushing for the execution to be paused as forensic testing is done on evidence related to the case. The organization argues Carruthers could be innocent.

On Wednesday, Gov. Lee said he will not intervene.

“After deliberate consideration of Tony Von Carruthers’ request for clemency, and after a thorough review of the case, I am upholding the sentence of the State of Tennessee and do not plan to intervene," Gov. Lee said in a statement.

At this point, the execution of Carruthers will move forward as scheduled for Thursday.

Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Megan.Scarano@Newschannel5.com

Carrie: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/2e/72/be0f23854c54a228c9d6138c9847/carrie-recommends-header.png

Rhori: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/5b/25/a224d13d47739165c92b94e643db/rhori-recommends-header.png

Eugene: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/7b/09/9eaf788d46f580c4234978610d60/screenshot-2026-04-29-at-12-11-52-pm.png

Lelan: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/af/54/833bf879454097a398bd44f723de/lelan-recommends.png

Nikki-Dee: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/e1/b4/685a931d4182b82d9322d496fa15/screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-01-18-pm.png

Henry: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/f7/31/2e3894bf45d9a1668f1ccc56b9f6/screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-01-00-pm.png

Katie: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/77/55/afe9375249a4b9e058e4b2c3d2ea/screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-00-46-pm.png

Brittany: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/67/90/788e5c364f00baabf9c5edae87e2/screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-00-06-pm.png

Jennifer: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/e4/1e/9771c0824888a0fd87b2a1030979/screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-02-19-pm.png

The skies were closed on 9/11. A Nashville phone call helped save a baby’s life

September 11, 2001 is a day most associate with terror and tragedy. Austin Pollack shares a story from that day about hope and persistence: the effort to save a little girl’s life – with an organ donation. The problem? The young patient was in Houston, and her life-saving liver here in Nashville. With the grounding of all civilian aircraft, how could it be done? “Nobody ever said this isn’t possible.”

- Rhori Johnston