Death Penalty Committee Hears Lethal Injection Alternatives

In its second day of meetings, a legislative committee studying Tennessee’s death penalty began tackling the contentious issue of lethal injection.

A federal judge has effectively placed a moratorium on lethal injections in Tennessee, ruling the state’s method amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. The state is appealing.

During testimony yesterday, Debbie Inglis – who acts as general counsel for the Department of Corrections – sidestepped questions of how the state would carry out three executions scheduled for December and January. But, Former District Attorney Al Schmutzer stepped in with a suggestion.

SCHMUTZER: “The state does have a statute that provides that if lethal injection is found to be unconstitutional by the Tennessee Supreme Court or by the U.S. Supreme Court, that you can go to electrocution.”

INGLIS: “That’s correct.”

Last month, Tennessee used its electric chair for the first time since 1960 to put 45-year old Darryl Holton to death. Holton requested that method.

Now a quick correction to a story we aired yesterday. We stated the Tennessee Bar Association conducted a death penalty study showing racial and geographic disparities in Tennessee. That study was actually done by the American Bar Association.