NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A letter, penned by eight Republican senators, has been sent to Governor Bill Lee, urging an independent investigation into the abortive execution attempt of death row inmate Tony Carruthers. This review is requested to ensure transparency before any further death sentences are carried out in the state.
“As staunch supporters of the death penalty, we feel compelled to express our grave concerns regarding the botched execution of Tony Von Carruthers, dated May 21, 2026,” stated the senators in their communication. They emphasized the necessity for full transparency and accountability from the Department of Correction concerning this incident.
On May 21, Governor Lee intervened to postpone Carruthers’ execution. The decision followed reports from the Tennessee Department of Correction, which revealed that medical personnel were unable to locate a vein suitable for a backup IV line. This was a pivotal procedure in executing Carruthers, who was sentenced for a triple murder committed in Memphis in 1994.
The lawmakers condemned the failed execution attempt, describing it as a significant lapse in the state’s responsibility to enact the legal sentences determined by its courts.
Sen. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald), one of the lawmakers who signed the letter, told News 2 he wants to know how the state selected the medical personnel tasked with administering the lethal injection, their certifications, and whether they were qualified to perform the procedures the protocol requires.
“Being a physician myself, I understand that IV access is not always easy, and some people, they may be dehydrated, they may have veins that have collapsed, or they may have a lot of issues, but certainly 12 attempts at IV access is just unacceptable,” Hensley said. “Certainly, something was amiss at that last execution attempt. Whether they didn’t obtain qualified medical personnel or what the issue was, we’re just asking them to look into the process.”
The letter also calls for any issues discovered to be corrected before the next execution, which is scheduled for Aug. 13, and for the findings to be made public.
“We raise these concerns not in opposition to the death penalty but in defense of it—out of respect for the rule of law, the verdicts of Tennessee juries, and the families still awaiting justice,” the letter concludes.
Some anti-death penalty advocates told Nexstar’s News 2 they hope the letter encourages the governor to take action to ensure what happened during Carruthers’ execution attempt never happens again.
“There is concern among conservatives about government overreach and lack of accountability and transparency, because when you have a secrecy like this, it allows for problems to go unaddressed,” Stacy Rector, executive director of Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, said.
“Twice now under Governor Lee’s tenure, we have had a situation where a family has been in the in the witness room at an execution and have had to leave without that execution having taken place because of problems that should have and could have been addressed much sooner if the TDOC and the state were being transparent about what is going on,” Rector continued. “I think that is what is at the heart of what these lawmakers are asking. They’re asking for transparency and accountability from the state government.”
Hensley said lawmakers have not yet received a response from the governor.
News 2 reached out to the governor’s office and TDOC for comment, but had not heard back by the time this article was published.