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Attorney says electrocardiogram at Tennessee execution was active after inmate was pronounced dead
The lawsuit claims Tennessee's corrections failed to update its lethal injection protocol, with one inmate showing cardiac activity two minutes after death, raising constitutional concerns.
- During a Nashville hearing Kelley Henry told the court that an electrocardiogram showed sustained cardiac activity nearly two minutes after Byron Black was pronounced dead on Aug. 5.
- The March lawsuit says Tennessee Department of Correction officials did not adopt fixes recommended by the governor and an independent investigator, challenging the state's protocol in Chancery Court in Nashville for lacking specifics and violating constitutional bans.
- Attorneys pointed to procedural gaps such as no EKG paper during Oscar Smith's May 22 execution, concerns about a defibrillator, and seven media witnesses saying Black appeared in discomfort.
- Judge Russell Perkins said he will take arguments under advisement and a trial is set for April, after Cody Brandon argued that requiring execution‑team testimony risks exposing identities and proposed DOC officials testify instead.
- Since the filing plaintiffs note there have been two executions since filing that have not gone to plan, and the Death Penalty Information Center said it was unaware of any similar cases.
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Associated Press News+9 Reposted by 9 other sources
Attorney says electrocardiogram at Tennessee execution was active after inmate was pronounced dead
An attorney for a recently executed Tennessee inmate says an electrocardiogram showed “sustained cardiac activity” nearly two minutes after Byron Black was pronounced dead.
·United States
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Total News Sources11
Leaning Left7Leaning Right0Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution70% Left
Bias Distribution
- 70% of the sources lean Left
70% Left
L 70%
C 30%
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