TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Jun 23, 2026

It has been just over a month since executioners in Nashville abandoned the lethal injection of Tony Carruthers, who was granted a one-year reprieve by Gov. Bill Lee. Now three other death row inmates facing execution dates this year are seeking reprieves. Federal public defenders representing Darrell Hines, who is scheduled to be executed on Aug. 13, asked Lee on Monday to call off the execution because of the risk that it “will be yet another gruesome spectacle.” They note that Hines has suffered a series of strokes that have left him with neurological and cognitive impairments, according to the Memphis Flyer. Earlier this month, attorneys representing Christa Pike — who is set to be executed on Sept. 30 — filed a motion with the Tennessee Supreme Court arguing that a lethal injection would be prolonged and torturous given her health issues. And in the case of Gary Sutton — who is scheduled to be executed on Dec. 3 — legal counsel point to long-held innocence claims, questions about his prosecution and an alleged intellectual disability. Read more from the Nashville Banner.