NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee officials called off the lethal injection of Tony Carruthers on Thursday after medical personnel failed to establish a backup intravenous line within an hour, according to the state Department of Corrections. The attempt was abandoned after more than 60 minutes of unsuccessful efforts to secure the necessary IV access for the execution of the convicted killer.
The state's protocol requires a primary IV line and a backup line to ensure the lethal injection process proceeds smoothly. Correctional officials confirmed that while a primary line was established in Carruthers' arm, they were unable to find a suitable vein for the backup line. Attempts to insert a central line also failed, prompting the warden to halt the process.
Gov. Bill Lee announced shortly after the failed attempt that Tennessee would not attempt another execution for at least a year. This is a deeply concerning situation, Lee said in a statement. The failure to follow our established protocol underscores the critical need for rigorous procedures and experienced personnel in such a high-stakes process.
Maria DeLiberato, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney representing Carruthers, described the scene as harrowing. She witnessed Carruthers wincing and groaning as the medical team tried to access veins in multiple locations. It was horrible to watch, she said. The inmate was in agony while they tried to establish the IV.
DeLiberato also criticized the state's execution process, citing concerns about mental illness, representation, and access to DNA testing. The ACLU has long argued that Carruthers, 57, is incompetent to be executed due to severe mental health issues and a history of self-representation at trial.
Carruthers, who was convicted in 1994 for the kidnapping and murder of Marcellos Anderson, his mother Delois Anderson, and Frederick Tucker, has no physical evidence linking him to the crimes. Instead, the conviction relied on testimony from people who claimed to have heard him confess or discuss the killings.
The failure is part of a growing pattern. Since 2009, six other prisoners in three states — Alabama, Idaho and Ohio — have had executions halted due to IV difficulties. In Idaho, authorities tried eight times to establish a line for Thomas Creech before calling it off. Idaho Gov. Brad Little subsequently signed a law making firing squad the state's primary method of execution.
The issue has led to increased scrutiny of the death penalty process. Advocates argue that the high rate of IV failures highlights the flaws in the lethal injection protocol, which often relies on untested drugs and outdated procedures.
The execution attempt was part of Tennessee's recent resumption of capital punishment after a three-year pause. The state had its last execution in December, and officials began a new round following an independent review that found none of the drugs used since 2018 had been fully tested for purity and potency.
The state attorney general's office recently admitted in court that two officials who oversaw lethal injection drugs had incorrectly testified under oath that the chemicals were being properly tested.
Meanwhile, the broader national context shows a surge in U.S. executions: 47 last year, up from 25 in 2024, driven largely by Florida's 19 executions in 2025.
As Carruthers' case moves forward, the state is now facing renewed calls for reforms to the execution process, including the introduction of alternative methods like the firing squad. The AP is part of a coalition fighting to expand media access to executions, including IV insertion procedures, which remain obscured under current Tennessee policy.}
The state's protocol requires a primary IV line and a backup line to ensure the lethal injection process proceeds smoothly. Correctional officials confirmed that while a primary line was established in Carruthers' arm, they were unable to find a suitable vein for the backup line. Attempts to insert a central line also failed, prompting the warden to halt the process.
Gov. Bill Lee announced shortly after the failed attempt that Tennessee would not attempt another execution for at least a year. This is a deeply concerning situation, Lee said in a statement. The failure to follow our established protocol underscores the critical need for rigorous procedures and experienced personnel in such a high-stakes process.
Maria DeLiberato, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney representing Carruthers, described the scene as harrowing. She witnessed Carruthers wincing and groaning as the medical team tried to access veins in multiple locations. It was horrible to watch, she said. The inmate was in agony while they tried to establish the IV.
DeLiberato also criticized the state's execution process, citing concerns about mental illness, representation, and access to DNA testing. The ACLU has long argued that Carruthers, 57, is incompetent to be executed due to severe mental health issues and a history of self-representation at trial.
Carruthers, who was convicted in 1994 for the kidnapping and murder of Marcellos Anderson, his mother Delois Anderson, and Frederick Tucker, has no physical evidence linking him to the crimes. Instead, the conviction relied on testimony from people who claimed to have heard him confess or discuss the killings.
The failure is part of a growing pattern. Since 2009, six other prisoners in three states — Alabama, Idaho and Ohio — have had executions halted due to IV difficulties. In Idaho, authorities tried eight times to establish a line for Thomas Creech before calling it off. Idaho Gov. Brad Little subsequently signed a law making firing squad the state's primary method of execution.
The issue has led to increased scrutiny of the death penalty process. Advocates argue that the high rate of IV failures highlights the flaws in the lethal injection protocol, which often relies on untested drugs and outdated procedures.
The execution attempt was part of Tennessee's recent resumption of capital punishment after a three-year pause. The state had its last execution in December, and officials began a new round following an independent review that found none of the drugs used since 2018 had been fully tested for purity and potency.
The state attorney general's office recently admitted in court that two officials who oversaw lethal injection drugs had incorrectly testified under oath that the chemicals were being properly tested.
Meanwhile, the broader national context shows a surge in U.S. executions: 47 last year, up from 25 in 2024, driven largely by Florida's 19 executions in 2025.
As Carruthers' case moves forward, the state is now facing renewed calls for reforms to the execution process, including the introduction of alternative methods like the firing squad. The AP is part of a coalition fighting to expand media access to executions, including IV insertion procedures, which remain obscured under current Tennessee policy.}
