TBA Law Blog

TBA Law Blog

Gov. Lee Says State Is Working Toward Resumption of Executions

Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Sep 5, 2024
News Type: Legal News

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee says the state is working to resume executions, after an effective pause on the death penalty has continued for more than two years. Lee’s comments came during a session with reporters in Knoxville last week, WBIR reports. Among his comments, Lee said, "I think it's important that we move as quickly as we can, but take as long as we need to, to make sure we get it right. I've tasked our team with getting a protocol in place. This has to be done, it's the law of our state. We need to be in a position to fulfill that law. But as you know, if you don't have the correct protocols in place, then the outcomes are not what any of us want in this state. I suspect that we are closer than further from having a protocol in place and will be allowed then to continue that process." In April 2022, Lee paused executions moments before an inmate was scheduled to die citing issues with protocols. He then launched an independent review of the lethal injection preparation process. According to reports, the state struggled to follow its own lethal injection rules at several steps, including the chemicals' testing and storage prior to the pause. WKRN also has details of Lee's recent remarks.

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