Tennessee Faces Backlash Over Secrecy of Revised Execution Protocol

The state refuses to release its updated execution manual, raising transparency concerns after past failures in lethal injection procedures.

Tennessee's Department of Correction has denied public access to its revised execution protocol, citing confidentiality laws protecting the identities of executioners and others involved.
The updated protocol replaces a three-drug lethal injection method with a single dose of pentobarbital, a controversial drug linked to pulmonary edema, described as akin to drowning by critics.
Executions in Tennessee have been on hold since 2022 after an independent review revealed noncompliance with drug testing and purity standards in past executions.
Critics argue that the secrecy surrounding the new protocol undermines accountability, with past transparency efforts revealing significant flaws in the state's execution procedures.
The U.S. Department of Justice is reviewing the use of pentobarbital in executions, adding further uncertainty to Tennessee's plans to resume capital punishment.