Tennessee Halts Execution After Medical Team Fails to Establish Backup IV Line
On Thursday, the scheduled execution of Tony Carruthers by the state of Tennessee was halted after medical staff were unable to establish a backup intravenous (IV) line as required by protocol.
According to the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC), a primary IV line was established quickly. However, attempts to find a suitable vein for a secondary line were unsuccessful. TDOC reported that efforts to insert a central line also failed. Governor Bill Lee subsequently announced that the state will not attempt another execution for at least one year.
Medical and Legal Context
Following the halt, Carruthers was removed from the gurney for a medical assessment, according to federal public defender Amy Harwell. Maria DeLiberato, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) representing Carruthers, reported observing him wince and groan during the attempts to establish the IV line.
"I saw him wince and groan during the attempts to establish the IV line." — Maria DeLiberato, ACLU attorney
Prior to the scheduled execution, Carruthers’ attorneys had filed an emergency stay of execution. They cited TDOC’s inability to establish venous access for the lethal injection as grounds for the stay. Carruthers has maintained his innocence. His legal team has raised concerns about the use of expired drugs for the execution and had sought DNA testing of evidence, a request that was denied.
Background of the Case
Carruthers, 57, was convicted in the 1994 kidnapping and murder of Marcellos Anderson, Delois Anderson, and Frederick Tucker in Memphis. He represented himself at trial after expressing dissatisfaction with court-appointed attorneys. A co-defendant, James Montgomery, was offered a plea deal by the state and was released in 2015.
Carruthers’ attorneys have argued that he has mental health issues that render him incompetent for execution. The ACLU continues to push for DNA testing on evidence, stating that no physical evidence ties Carruthers to the killings.
Broader Execution Context
This was the first execution scheduled in Tennessee in 2024. The state had previously ended a three-year moratorium on executions, which was imposed after failing to properly test lethal injection drugs. An independent review later found that drugs used in 2018 executions were fully tested, but it also found that none of the execution drugs used since 2018 had been fully tested prior to the 2020 moratorium.
Nationally, similar incidents have occurred. Since 2009, six other executions in Alabama, Idaho, and Ohio have been halted due to issues with IV access. In Idaho, Governor Brad Little signed a law making firing squad the primary execution method after a failed lethal injection attempt in 2024. In Alabama, Governor Kay Ivey paused executions following a failed lethal injection in 2022.
The Death Penalty Information Center has raised concerns regarding Carruthers’ case related to mental illness, legal representation, claims of innocence, and requests for DNA testing.
Data shows that U.S. executions increased from 25 in 2024 to 47 in 2025, driven primarily by an increase in Florida.