Middle Tennessee’s federal public defender is asking Gov. Bill Lee to halt all executions until an independent group can review the state’s protocols. The defense attorneys sent a letter to the governor Thursday morning, one week after he granted a last-minute reprieve for Oscar Smith.
Lee has said virtually nothing about his decision, except that there was an “oversight in preparation for lethal injection.” Death row attorney Amy Harwell says she and her client want more information.
“The secrecy that shrouds sort of every aspect of the death penalty is part of what brings us here,” she said at a news conference. “We’ve been waiting for a week for answers as to what happened.”
Smith’s execution was supposed to be the first since the coronavirus pandemic arrived in Middle Tennessee. A new date won’t be set until at least June 1. Multiple others are scheduled for later this year.
Tennessee’s lethal injection protocols have been questioned for years and contributed to a nearly decade-long hiatus, as the state struggled to find drugs. Some on death row have even opted to be killed in the electric chair in recent years, out of fear that lethal injection would be more painful. Smith said in one court filing that he would prefer execution by firing squad.
The governor’s office confirmed that they received the defense attorneys’ letter and says that he expects to provide additional details next week, following the close of the legislative session. They declined to comment on the federal defenders’ request.
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