Nationwide — Tony Carruthers, a man from Memphis, Tennessee, who was on death row, was scheduled for execution in Nashville, but the procedure failed after medical staff could not find a usable vein. Officials stopped the execution and returned him to his cell.
The procedure took place at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville. Medical staff spent about 1.5 hours trying to locate a vein suitable for the lethal injection, but were unsuccessful.
Reporters were kept in a dimly lit room near the chamber during the procedure. They said they could hear sounds from inside while staff made repeated attempts to carry out the injection, according to witnesses present at the scene.
Officials later confirmed the execution was called off after repeated efforts failed. The process did not continue, as reported by WLBT.
Carruthers was convicted in 1994 for the kidnapping and murder of 17-year-old Frederick Tucker, 21-year-old Marcellous Anderson, and Anderson’s 43-year-old mother, Delores Anderson. Authorities said the victims were later buried in a freshly dug grave in South Memphis.
He has been on death row since 1996. Over the years, his supporters, including faith leaders, family members, and Kim Kardashian, called for DNA and fingerprint testing before the execution.
Protests were also held ahead of the scheduled date. A Tennessee appeals court had earlier denied a petition that sought to delay the execution for further forensic testing.
After the failed attempt, officials returned Carruthers to his cell, and no execution was carried out.