TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on May 13, 2025

Tennessee death row inmates are urging a Davidson County court to compel the state Department of Correction to disclose the sources of its lethal injection drugs, according to News Channel 5. The group argues the drugs pose serious safety risks, stating, "Every manufacturer of pentobarbital has put in place strict distribution controls to prevent its drugs from being sold to departments of correction for use in executions." Oscar Franklin Smith is scheduled for execution on May 22. The inmates also are seeking a halt to executions until a March 2026 trial on the constitutionality of the state's protocol is held.