The following statements were issued in reference to Tennessee’s Death Penalty:
“Thank you, Governor Lee, for taking the time necessary to study this report’s findings before any executions move forward. This report only confirms that the lethal injection protocol in Tennessee is irreparably flawed. The TDOC’s failure to follow its own protocols, its reliance on shady compounding drug suppliers, as well as state attorneys’ misstatements to the court are the predictable results of a failed policy veiled in secrecy. The state’s unwillingness to carry out executions in the light of day reinforces our belief that we shouldn’t be carrying them out at all.” Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (TADP) Executive Director Stacy Rector
“I am frustrated by Tennessee’s mixed-up priorities as it continues to invest millions of dollars in finding ways to kill those already in prison rather than redirecting much-needed resources to programs that actually address crime and violence, solve more unsolved murder cases, and help make our communities safer.” Clemmie Greenlee, Founder and CEO of Nashville Peacemakers/Mothers Over Murder
We remain deeply concerned about Tennessee’s execution process. This report has given us a glimpse into an execution process plagued by human error, deception, and inconsistency that mirror many of the same problems that infect the death penalty, including the racial bias that infects the whole system .” President Gloria Sweet-Love, TN State Conference of the NAACP