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4mo ago

Tennessee Executes Oscar Smith Under Revised Lethal Injection Protocol

Smith, who maintained his innocence, was the first inmate executed in the state since 2020, following a five-year pause and controversial protocol changes.

Oscar Smith, 75, was executed by lethal injection for the murder of his estranged wife and her two sons
FILE - Capital punishment protesters pray on the grounds of Riverbend Maximum Security Institution before the scheduled execution of inmate Oscar Smith, April 21, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
This undated booking photo provided by the Tennessee Department of Correction shows inmate Oscar Smith.
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Overview

  • Oscar Smith, 75, was executed by lethal injection on May 22, 2025, for the 1989 murders of his estranged wife and her two teenage sons in Nashville.
  • Smith's execution marked Tennessee's first since 2020, following a suspension due to COVID-19 and failures in testing lethal injection drugs.
  • The state implemented a new one-page execution protocol in December 2024, removing prior safeguards, which has drawn criticism and legal challenges.
  • Smith maintained his innocence throughout his imprisonment, citing alleged flaws in forensic evidence and the justice system in his final statements.
  • A lawsuit challenging Tennessee's revised execution protocols, filed by Smith and other death row inmates, is set for trial in January 2026.