Questions Remain After Tennessee Refuses to Explain Failed Execution Procedures

Death-Sentenced Prisoner Asks Tennessee Supreme Court to Conditionally Stay Execution as State Refuses to Disclose Whether it Will Use Same Physician from Botched May Execution

On July 20, 2026, attor­neys for death-sen­tenced pris­on­er Darrell Hines, in a new fil­ing, asked the Tennessee Supreme Court to con­di­tion­al­ly stay Mr. Hines’ August 13 exe­cu­tion date because the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) has refused to iden­ti­fy whether it will use the same physi­cian involved in the state’s failed exe­cu­tion attempt of Tony Carruthers. Pointing to an extreme risk of pain and suf­fer­ing, as evi­dence…

Questions remain after Tennessee refuses to explain failed execution procedures

Carruthers' execution was stopped in May after medical staff spent more than an hour attempting to establish IV access for the lethal injection, but were not able to find a vein.

State ordered to state whether it will use doctor involved in failed execution

A Davidson County judge is requiring the state to reveal whether it plans to use the same doctor involved in a botched May execution in the Aug. 13 lethal injection scheduled for death row inmate Darrell Hines. Chancellor Russell Perkins…

Death Row Prisoner Seeks Stay after Tennessee Refuses to Confirm Replacement of Physician Involved in Failed Execution Attempt

A motion filed Monday by Darrell Hines' legal team requests the Tennessee Supreme Court to halt his scheduled August 13 execution, arguing the state risks exposing him to an unconstitutional risk of severe suffering unless prison officials replace Dr. Mark Fowler, the physician involved in May's failed execution attempt.

Stay requested for Darrell Hines execution over doctor - Nashville Banner

STAY REQUESTED: In a Monday filing, attorneys for Darrell Hines have asked for a conditional stay of his Aug. 13 execution if the Tennessee Department of Correction plans to use the same doctor who oversaw Tony Carruthers’ aborted execution. After Dr. Mark Walton Fowler could not establish a central line during that execution, Carruthers’ attorneys questioned his competency, pointing to answers he gave during a sworn deposition. The plaintiffs i…