NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Federal Public Defender's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee is reacting to yesterday's attempted execution of Tony Carruthers, after corrections staff were unable to follow lethal injection protocol. It ultimately led to Governor Bill Lee to issuing a one-year reprieve.
Witnesses said the team tried for more than an hour to place a backup IV line without success.
In a statement, first assistant federal public defender Amy Harwell called the ordeal a "nightmare" and a "bloody hour and a half".
According to the defense team's witness inside the room, concerns were expressed about the doctor's qualifications and the inmate was punctured more than a dozen times in an attempt to establish an IV line. The Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) has not confirmed that account.
Harwell's team, which represents Carruthers, ultimately claimed the TDOC hired unqualified personnel to carry out the execution, saying the employment of the physician in charge of executing the inmate was a "reckless decision [that] led to a botched execution and required Governor Lee to intervene and issue a one-year reprieve to Mr. Carruthers."
"I think that what happened yesterday was horrific," said Harwell. "What we're seeing is there is this pattern of TDOC employees or contractors not following the protocol."
We are working to get in touch with TDOC to hear their response to this claim.
Meanwhile, Harwell says this was something they may have seen coming.
"Our office has litigation pending in Chancery court right now where we told the courts and TDOC that there was a risk of this sort of event happening," she told NewsChannel 5.
The Death Penalty Information Center shows three more execution dates remain on the calendar for Tennessee. The next one is set for August.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at nikki.hauser@newschannel5.com.
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