NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The state has rescheduled Tennessee death row inmate Oscar Smith's execution due to COVID-19.
Smith was originally scheduled to die on June 4. After filing a motion to stay his execution due to the pandemic, his execution has been reset for February 4, 2021.
He was convicted and sentenced to die for the 1989 murders of his estranged wife and her two sons by a previous marriage.
Kelley Henry, Smith's public defender, said the stay was necessary to protect the health and safety of execution witnesses, as well as provide time for Smith to meet with his attorneys to prepare a clemency petition, which can not be done due to the current health crisis.
Below is the full statement in response to the stay of execution from Henry:
"The Court was absolutely right to stay Oscar Smith’s execution because of the COVID-19 virus. It makes no sense to bring execution witnesses and other people into the prison and possibly expose them to COVID-19 infection or introduce the virus into the prison population. Mr. Smith, who has always maintained his innocence, needs to meet with his attorneys to prepare a clemency petition and investigators need to interview people to get information for the clemency petition. None of that face-to-face work can happen at this time without risking public health. Texas also followed this common sense position and put five executions on hold because of the crisis. We must all come together to put safety first."
