Tennessean: “Gov. Bill Lee has paused all Tennessee executions through the end of 2022 after granting a temporary reprieve for death row inmate Oscar Franklin Smith last month due to a “technical oversight” in the lethal injection.
Lee announced the move in a news release early Monday morning, saying the pause will give time for a third-party review and a complete assessment. Lee’s office has declined to answer multiple questions about the nature of the oversight.
“I review each death penalty case and believe it is an appropriate punishment for heinous crimes,” Lee said in the release. “However, the death penalty is an extremely serious matter, and I expect the Tennessee Department of Correction to leave no question that procedures are correctly followed.”
U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton will oversee the independent review for Tennessee, the release said.”