Tennessee’s attempt to execute Tony Carruthers failed. It must not try again | Austin Sarat
Tennessee's attempt to execute Tony Carruthers was unsuccessful, raising serious ethical concerns about capital punishment. Carruthers, who was convicted of multiple murders, faced significant flaws in his case, including a lack of physical evidence and inadequate legal representation. Following the failed execution, there are calls for the state not to attempt to execute him again, citing both moral and legal implications.
- ▪Carruthers was taken to the execution chamber but the process was halted due to complications in finding suitable veins for the lethal injection.
- ▪He became the ninth person to survive a failed execution in the last 80 years.
- ▪The case against Carruthers was criticized for lacking physical evidence and relying heavily on witness testimonies, including a jailhouse informant.
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‘Tennessee should not get another chance to execute Carruthers.’ Photograph: Tennessee Department of CorrectionView image in fullscreen‘Tennessee should not get another chance to execute Carruthers.’ Photograph: Tennessee Department of CorrectionOpinionCapital punishmentTennessee’s attempt to execute Tony Carruthers failed. It must not try againAustin SaratCarruthers’ court case was fraught with problems. A second execution attempt would be the kind of cruelty no decent society should countenanceTue 26 May 2026 06.00 EDTLast modified on Tue 26 May 2026 06.01 EDTShareOn 21 May, Tony Carruthers had an experience that few others have had.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Guardian — US.
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