Tennessee has a new execution method, 2.5 years after last scheduled execution abruptly halted

Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — More than 2 years after Tennessee abruptly halted the execution of inmate Oscar Smith, the state has announced a new lethal injection method. Tennessee said on Friday it will use a single injection of pentobarbital to carry out executions, which have been on pause since May 2022. The 11th hour reprieve for Smith came because the state was failing to follow its own protocols. Most notably it was not always testing  lethal injection drugs for potency and purity. A federal lawsuit challenging the previous protocol has been on hold. The inmate plaintiffs now have 90 days to look over the new protocol and decide whether to challenge it with an amended complaint.