A motion filed Monday by Darrell Hines’ legal team requests the Tennessee Supreme Court to halt his scheduled August 13 execution, arguing the state risks exposing him to an unconstitutional risk of severe suffering unless prison officials replace Dr. Mark Fowler, the physician involved in May’s failed execution attempt.
A Tennessee court has ruled that death row prisoner Darrell Hines is entitled to ascertain whether the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) intends to utilize the physician implicated in the state’s unsuccessful execution attempt of Tony Carruthers. The court, however, stayed its order pending appellate review.
Attorneys representing death row inmate Darrell Hines have formally petitioned Tennessee Governor Bill Lee for a reprieve, citing Hines’ severe medical condition and documented failures within the Tennessee Department of Correction’s execution protocols. The request specifically references the recent attempt to execute Tony Carruthers, which attorneys argue exposed critical procedural deficiencies.