TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Jun 3, 2026

A Davidson County Chancery Court judge has denied a request from death row inmate Tony Carruthers for an independent medical examination following Tennessee's failed attempt to execute him last month, WPLN reports. Carruthers' attorneys sought the examination after execution personnel were unable to establish an IV and a physician unsuccessfully attempted to gain access through other parts of his body before the execution was halted. They also have raised questions about the doctor who was on hand for the procedure. While denying the medical exam request, the court ordered the Tennessee Department of Correction to preserve all equipment, records, communications and other materials related to the execution attempt. Carruthers' legal team is arguing that the incident is relevant to ongoing litigation, which is challenging Tennessee's lethal injection protocol and alleging deficiencies in the training and oversight of execution personnel.