State to Perform Executions Earlier at Night

The state correction department is changing the time of day it carries out death sentences, from 1 in the morning to 10 at night. That’s meant to be easier on family members of victims and inmates, as well as prison staff. And experts say the change won’t deeply affect the legal process.

Commissioner Gayle Ray says the old late-night time was to avoid interfering with other operations, and make sure the department had plenty of time to work. Now Ray is hoping the earlier nights will make the process easier for families and staff.

“I think just in the interest of keeping everyone who’s involved in the periphery more alert, and helping out the families who come to witness – anyone who comes to witness the execution – it’s just a more favorable situation.”

The change goes into effect at the beginning of June, and Ray says it won’t impact staffing.

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Kelley Henry, with the federal public defenders’ office, says the shift won’t affect how last-minute appeals play out. She says courts have asked for the change.

“When you’re having to make decisions at 1 a.m., courts are human beings – we’re staffed by human beings – and they don’t want to be exhausted and tired when they’re making decisions, so moving it up a few hours is just helpful to everybody in the process.”

The old 1 a.m. schedule was intended to give the state plenty of time to challenge any legal delay, like a stay of execution. Under the new policy, the prison will have 24 hours to carry out the death sentence. That means state lawyers will still have a full day to challenge any delays.

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Currently Tennessee has no execution dates set, but officials say that may change in the next month.

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