May 21, 2026
NOW: With A Needle In His Arm, Death Row Inmate Has Execution Called Off
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RSS Feed Death row inmate Tony Carruthers was scheduled to die by lethal injection this morning in Tennessee. The execution was initially delayed as officials awaited the Supreme Court’s decision on an ACLU emergency filing asking for a stay of execution to test DNA from the case. Once SCOTUS denied the request, medical personnel spent an hour and a half looking for a suitable vein for a backup line and could not find one. Officials then called off the execution and as we recorded this episode, the Governor issued a reprieve for Carruthers for one year.
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00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hey, folks, at is Thursday, May twenty first, and a breaking story this afternoon. We thought we'd be hopping on to tell you about the last words of a man on death row. Instead we found out he is going to live another day or maybe is it just another few hours? With that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. We have been following what was an extraordinary couple of days in the United States. Three executions schedule over two days. One was yesterday in Arizona, where it was another one was supposed to be this morning in Tennessee. It has not gone through, and it's not because any court intervened.
00:00:46
Speaker 2: This is not what we expected to happen. In fact, Tony Carruther's execution was scheduled for ten am local time. That's near Memphis, Tennessee, so Central time correct, and it was delayed while folks waited to hear what the Supreme Court was going to do. They were waiting to see the Supreme Court would make a decision on an emergency stay that was requested by the ACLU. The High Court said, nope, we deny it, so the execution can go on as planned. So now we think, okay, the execution is going to take place. But hold up, there were some and a major complication that ensued. As they were allowed to proceed, Suddenly they couldn't find a vein.
00:01:41
Speaker 3: Literally, they spent an hour and.
00:01:43
Speaker 2: A half, according to folks who were there behind the scenes, an hour and a half looking for a vein. They had a main vein, but they needed a backup vein. They couldn't get a backup vein. And because they couldn't do that, they actually had to halt the execution.
00:01:57
Speaker 1: Ah, and so it's didn't go through, and we don't know what happens next. We're talking about a man who's been on death row for a triple homicide, and there are people who have been hooting and hollering about his innocence, saying other evidence needs to be examined, saying yes, that will throw in Kim Kardashian's name. There has been There are hundreds of thousands of people who signed a petition been delivered to the governor.
00:02:18
Speaker 4: They wanted to stop this execution.
00:02:20
Speaker 1: Well, after all of that debate, rollably thought that something might get delayed or stopped, or maybe a court would intervene because a lot was happening court wise, and low and behold.
00:02:29
Speaker 4: The man's going to get to live another day because of a vein.
00:02:33
Speaker 1: Now, we did talk and it's worth noting, and we need to look up and maybe I'll do it here roads while we're talking. When this death warn't expires. We talked about this as a morning execution, and some states will plan it for off hours if you will to allow, well they didn't go right, or some court intervention or we need some paperwork. The death warn't actually expires at a certain time, so they have to essentially execute somebody within that time period. Now, Ropes, this is just happening, So I haven't seen. You tell me if you've seen otherwise, if they're going to continue to attempt today or we are done for now.
00:03:10
Speaker 2: The local news reporter from that area said that for now, Carruthers has been allowed to return to his cell, so we just know he was returned to his cell or a cell at the prison, so he's not sitting there strapped to a gurney with medical professionals trying to find a vein anymore.
00:03:29
Speaker 3: Because that took place this morning.
00:03:31
Speaker 2: It is interesting we were talking, well, some states do this morning procedure so that they can allow for any sort of problem that they might incur, any complication. Not sure what the next step is, because the Tennessee Department of Corrections literally put out a press release saying that the medics were able to establish a primary vein, unsuccessful in finding the required backup line.
00:03:55
Speaker 3: The quote is, the team continued.
00:03:56
Speaker 2: To follow the protocol but could not find another suitable vein. The team attempted to insert a central line pursuant to the protocol, but the procedure was unsuccessful. The execution was then called off.
00:04:10
Speaker 4: This is horrible.
00:04:11
Speaker 3: Yeah, this is from the Tennessee Department of Correction.
00:04:13
Speaker 4: This is horrible for all parties involved.
00:04:15
Speaker 1: And I know you're not supposed to necessarily sit here and have sympathy for a triple murderer, convicted triple murder who's about to be executed. But you got family, you got people collected. They're waiting for this, and he is waiting to die, and he is sitting there for an hour hour plus, y'all can't find a vein to kill me. Now, Robes, that is cruel and unusual, I would argue, but the death warrant, according to all local reporting, expires at midnight, and so his attorneys have now asked for a stay based on what has happened today that has not happened, meaning Robes. The death warrant expires at midnight. These folks still have another ten hours essentially to kill them if they want to.
00:04:59
Speaker 2: This is this is really fascinating. This is again something that I haven't seen before. And look, I'm somebody who's had to have unfortunately a lot of IVS in my life, and finding veins can be tough, especially if you're stressed, if you're dehydrated. You've even had an issue with that. Remember when you got taken away in that van. They were saying that your veins were depleted because you were so dehydrated.
00:05:21
Speaker 3: So I don't know, are they going to try.
00:05:23
Speaker 2: To hydrate him, give him a bunch of fluids, see if they try again, or are they just calling this thing off There everyone in the area is trying to get information as to whether or not it's going to be rescheduled later today, rescheduled for a later date. But the way death warrants work, once it runs out at midnight, they have to go through a whole process of re establishing or scheduling an execution date.
00:05:50
Speaker 1: So yeah, yeah, there are folks and the governor probably included in this. You don't want to have to do this again and go through this process again. How can we fix? How can we correct where we don't have to sign another death warrant that we don't extend what has already rob has been a lot of back and forth about this case. He was about to be executed right he's on. So the state has no intention and the courts have made clear so far they have no intention of intervening. There is no one here who can stop this at this point unless Robes. Is there a new argument now about the botched execution that can be used to stay the execution? Do they have more of a legal argument now given what just happened, because no court was buying any legal argument he had before the execution.
00:06:42
Speaker 2: Started, possibly as before basically he had issues with his veins. He had exhausted every single legal remedy that was available to him and any other death row inmate, including having the power of Kim Kardashian's voice, who made a public plea to the governor, the ACLU who made that legal last ditch effort to the Supreme Court.
00:07:05
Speaker 3: They said that Tennessee.
00:07:07
Speaker 2: This is what the ACLU said, and they're release that Tennessee is sitting on unidentified DNA and fingerprint evidence that does match does not match mister Carruthers, and if tested, could exonerate him. So that was their big argument today. That was before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court refused to hear it, so that was rejected. The governor said, I ain't stepping in. I have carefully reviewed this case. Obviously, he heard the pleas from ACLU and Kim Kardashian and still decided to make a public statement this week saying I Am not going to stop this execution. So he had no other once the Supreme Court said no this morning, he had no other legal remedies.
00:07:45
Speaker 1: So does he have one now, I don't know, but as we as we speak, this just all went down in a matter of minutes before we started on the microphones here. But yeah, a matter of minutes, but we had been waiting a matter of hours. We still have a live feed up here where they were expecting witnesses to come out and speak to the media. No one has come up there. They have been holding this live shot. We keep seeing reporting on not reporters, but camera guys go up. They have to change the batteries on some of their microphones. It has been sitting there for so long, for hours, we've been waiting and waiting without getting any official word. And the only word we've gotten is very limited. Right now, his attorneys have at least come out, and they said a few things about the vein. They have asked for a new stay of execution based on this, which has not been granted. This means, Robes, this man is still sentenced to die. He just might need a new date. It does not Matt unless a court steps in and says the execution is called off, Tennessee can proceed.
00:08:45
Speaker 4: If they don't do it by midnight.
00:08:46
Speaker 1: I'm not sure how quickly he can sign another death warrant and get him back on the schedule. But Robes, no matter what, no matter how this looks, and all the back and forth, he is a condemned killer. And right now we just got to work through some veins and some paperwork. Nothing has changed for about his case.
00:09:06
Speaker 2: I wonder, though, yes, you are correct, nothing has changed. But I wonder, given this delay, if the attorneys have any window in this period of.
00:09:16
Speaker 3: Time where I mean, I don't know if it's ours. We don't know if it's days, weeks, months, maybe even years. That's how these things go.
00:09:21
Speaker 2: But in the interim, is there any way that DNA testing takes forever?
00:09:26
Speaker 4: Though?
00:09:26
Speaker 2: Right?
00:09:27
Speaker 3: It takes weeks.
00:09:27
Speaker 2: We've been waiting for DNA testing in the Nancy Guthrie case, it seems like well, certainly for months. So it's unclear how long it would take to even test this fingerprint DNA as to who it belongs to. But the big point of argument was from folks who have really examined this case. There is no physical evidence, forensic evidence linking him to these heinous murders. And these murders were as bad and as awful and as terrible as you can imagine, including being buried alive in a grave with your dead son. I mean, that's how awful these murders were that he was convicted of.
00:10:01
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, but ro this evidence we talk about being tested? I mean we've how many cases we've had some recently at the end, guys had twenty years to test some DNA. But a couple of days away from his execution, Oh yeah, that DNA can we get that tested? I mean this is what you want. Look, he wasn't given more time by a court. He might have just been given more time by a higher power or whatever. Eh, I was just gonna sever you want to go with. But this, this is this is how things work. Could it be possible his life ends up getting saved, evidence ends up getting tested and it changes the outcome. I don't know what robes. There's plenty of people out there who think he is as guilty as hell. That's true, he absolutely should be. And I know there are issues with the case, having to do with attorneys, having to do with paid informants convicting him, having to do with the evidence that needs to be reviewed.
00:10:54
Speaker 4: I get all that.
00:10:55
Speaker 1: But a jury of his peers convicted him, and he's had what the year was the crime two thousand and two thousand and two?
00:11:01
Speaker 2: Which one was this two thousand and No, this was nineteen ninety four, babe.
00:11:09
Speaker 3: So he has been on death row for that long.
00:11:12
Speaker 2: Okay, so thirty two years.
00:11:16
Speaker 1: And here we are and now in this moment this happens, you know, and folks, we are literally we have we are standing by, and we keep refreshing, we keep looking for updates that just at this point are not coming, but it is significant. It is a big deal that the Department of Corrections in Tennessee has at least what they say, called off the execution. But robes did we see called off for today? Called off for now, I think is the word his attorney's use. But called off until what can be resolved, until we can get some electrolytes and some gatorade up in them and get them hydrated and get a vein.
00:11:54
Speaker 4: I don't know, is he really waiting, yes, for a vein to pop out?
00:11:58
Speaker 2: Yeah, this is wild to just with all of the effort that went into trying to stop this execution, and his own body may have saved him or spared him at least.
00:12:08
Speaker 1: For now for now. But stay here with us, we'll explain what exactly happened. States have different protocol when it comes to lethal injection. Some states use a three drug cocktail. Tennessee is not one of them. All right, we continue here on Amy and TJ with the word we just got a short time ago that an execution plan today this morning in Tennessee is called off for now, not because of a court's intervention, but because they could not find a vein. Roll There are certain or several anti death penalty organizations who have put out a number Their statements are flying right now, and they're pointing to this a lot of them. It's not just about guilt or innocence for a lot of advocates or excuse me, opponents of the death Penerally, they say it is cruel and unusual that so many of these drugs are not dependable, that so many of these there's not a consistent protocol around the country. Everybody's doing it their own way, and you have botched They use that word aligne. We've seen some in the past botched executions where the person suffers. I guess this is botched, but ropes. It doesn't really have anything to do with the drug itself. It doesn't really have a lot to do with how they were trying to do the lethal injection ropes. You mentioned me in a second ago. I remember an embarrassing moment I had in early in my career where I was supposed to go give blood right and their cameras are there, We're doing a whole story on it, and I'm laid up. My cameraman's shooting me. They couldn't find a vein because I was dehydrated. I went out and partied the night before. I remember this and I always remember that. How that, Yeah, it's a deal, pental barbitall Do.
00:14:03
Speaker 4: I have it right?
00:14:04
Speaker 3: Yes, pento barbital.
00:14:05
Speaker 1: They used a one drug cocktail there, and yes it sounds like one drug, one needle, but that is not the protocol in Tennessee.
00:14:14
Speaker 2: Yeah, you have to have a backup line. And that they got one vein, they got one IV. Imagine that he's sitting there, got an IV in his arm and they're trying to find another vein for a backup line and they can't find it.
00:14:26
Speaker 3: They can't get it.
00:14:27
Speaker 2: Now, this is interesting because you pointed out you were just talking about lethal injection and how a lot of anti death penalty groups and certain certainly attorneys who are advocating for their clients have pointed to this method of execution as cruel and unusual, because yes, it does vary. Each state does do it differently, different protocols, different cocktails. Some sort of pharmaceutical companies even stop supplying certain drugs to states because they were against the use of their drugs to execute people. And so, yes, they have the single drug lethal injection but the state of Tennessee had problems that actually they had a five year pause on executions because of issues with lethal injection. So they have Last year they executed three people and as recently as December of twenty twenty five, all of those went off without any issues or any problems.
00:15:25
Speaker 3: But certainly the state is not.
00:15:27
Speaker 2: They've had their share of them to the point where they did put a hiatus on the death penalty for five years. So look, this is not what anyone who is in the business of following through and carrying out are or at least that state's protocols.
00:15:44
Speaker 3: And so this is a problem.
00:15:45
Speaker 2: And this is certainly going to come up with not only Corruther's attorneys but other death throw inmates. They're going to point to this case right here. See, this is why this is cruel and unusual. This is why this is.
00:15:57
Speaker 3: Not an acceptable form of execution.
00:15:59
Speaker 1: But you know, we were well, we covered a lot of executions last year and Robes, I can't remember one now that didn't go off without a hitch. I mean, they all they all seem to because everybody was waiting to see these these methods, these drugs are gonna be a problem and from all the reports that we got, it worked the way it was supposed to. And what is it, Alabama? Was the nitrogen the nitrogen Alabama? The nitrogen gas? Yes, they so they have another method that people were, you know, a little skeptical about, and all of those went through without people complaining about any adverse reaction. I mean, how adverse can it be when somebody's killing you? But it worked the way it.
00:16:37
Speaker 4: Was supposed to.
00:16:38
Speaker 1: So this Robes for that reason is kind of surprising that it didn't go through. But again, we're not talking about the drugs. We're not talking about him suffering. We're talking about we can't find wrote one needle. So he sees the needle go into him. That's gonna kill him, right, yea, the primary needle goes in. That's the one that's gonna deliver a drug that is going to put me down.
00:17:01
Speaker 4: And then they're poking around for an hour, trying to an hour and a half trying to find another vein.
00:17:05
Speaker 2: That is Look, I've had, I've had that when obviously it was to help me live or be healthy. Not being able to find a vein that is an incredibly painful they're poking, they're prodding. They're trying to find veins. Your veins are collapsing. I'm wondering, here's where my head goes. If I'm on death row and I want to avoid being executed by lethal injection, I'm gonna just abstain from drinking anything hope that my veins are collapsed. My veins aren't capable of taking in a needle like this is actually I've never heard of this, but I actually want to go check and see if Tennessee has any other options because a lot of times, look before the death warning is signed, or is it when the death warning is signed, you actually sign up for the kind or the type of execution you'd like. So obviously lethal injection is the state's primary method, but they actually do allow a firing squad according to Tennessee if lethal injection is unavailable or if the inmate chooses it. So I don't even know what they would do now going forward, if they are trying to proceed with this, if they already know the lethal injection is not reliable for this particular inmate, would they would they put him up in front of a firing squad. And oddly, they do have an electric chair. They do have electrocution, but it's only allowed for inmates who committed crimes prior to nineteen ninety nine.
00:18:25
Speaker 3: Well, that would also be for others because he committed his crime in nineteen ninety six.
00:18:29
Speaker 2: So now he has a new death warrant signed. Is he going to have to choose between the electric chair and a firing squad because the lethal injection didn't go well this time.
00:18:39
Speaker 3: There's a lot of questions that need to be answered.
00:18:42
Speaker 4: Do I have that they do get the option right?
00:18:48
Speaker 3: They do?
00:18:49
Speaker 2: And if you don't choose, I think it just defaults to lethal injection.
00:18:52
Speaker 3: That's the primary method.
00:18:54
Speaker 2: But you are allowed to choose between a firing squad and yes, if you committed your crime before nineteen ninety nine, you can choose the electric chair. I cannot imagine, but they said eligible inmates may elect the electric chair in writing fourteen days.
00:19:08
Speaker 3: Before their scheduled execution. That seems to Cob. That seems so Macob.
00:19:14
Speaker 2: But you know what, the whole thing seems macab to a lot of folks.
00:19:19
Speaker 1: We are getting now in Rose. I'm trying to confirm this and get reporting. But the local affiliates there in Memphis and Nashville are reporting now that the execution is not going to go forward. In fact, the governor of Tennessee now Governor Lee, has granted Robes a one year reprieve. This is being and this is double sourced at least now, but that the governor has decided to go forward with a one year reprieve, essentially giving him pushing and kicking the can down the road. This now Robes opens up. You had a full year year possibly now to do.
00:20:01
Speaker 3: Whatever it is those fingerprints, So.
00:20:03
Speaker 1: There's nothing else I mean, this is that you can't get any Robes. He was gonna die, Babe.
00:20:08
Speaker 2: I just got chills from head to toe because I just went there in my head. And look, he may be as guilty as they come. But to think that if they test this fingerprint and they find someone else and somehow it's proven or he's exonerated, can you imagine that scenario that it took literally him being strapped to this gourney and medic's not able to find a second fain.
00:20:38
Speaker 3: This is wild and it's TBD. We don't know.
00:20:42
Speaker 1: I if that turns out to be the case, I might go out there and advocate against the death penalty.
00:20:48
Speaker 4: Myself, we got that close to messing up again.
00:20:52
Speaker 2: If it would sure seemed like divine intervention. If and that's a big if, but my God or.
00:20:59
Speaker 1: Could go the other way, Robes and give us a chance to just get it one hundred percent correct.
00:21:05
Speaker 3: You know what, I don't understand what the harm in that is now.
00:21:07
Speaker 2: I think obviously we've argued and we've talked about the fact that he's been on death row for thirty two years.
00:21:12
Speaker 3: Why now? But you know what, why not?
00:21:17
Speaker 4: You know what?
00:21:18
Speaker 1: The families, I always say, I will hold off on everything until I hear how they are feeling today about what's just taking place. How many years you say, nineteen ninety four.
00:21:28
Speaker 2: Ninety six, nineteen ninety six, thirty years? Okay, he was sentenced to death in ninety six. Excuse me, but the crime was in ninety.
00:21:36
Speaker 4: Four, thirty years.
00:21:38
Speaker 1: There were family members, There was three people he's convicted of killing, and we should as a reminder, hear Robes. He did have an accomplice who was convicted as well. But that person happens to be out of prison right now. But they did serve and still what was it? An Alfred plea right didn't admit to guilt but still admit it. There's a enough evidence that I could be proven guilty, but went through that whole process and now they're out. But they were convicted to was it initially death as well?
00:22:08
Speaker 2: It was initially to death, but then they were allowed to be freed.
00:22:11
Speaker 3: And Caruthers, by the way we should.
00:22:13
Speaker 2: Put it, has maintained his innocence since his conviction, and he claims and this is I think fairly verifiable. The state's case pretty much was primarily based on the testimony, and you pointed this out of a paid informant, So there are still a lot of questions. But the victims in this case suffered a horrific fate. A twenty one year old and a seventeen year old were shot and then buried, and then the twenty one year old's mother was buried alive in a grave that had been dug for someone else. And this was just as awful as it gets. But he has maintained his innocence and now perhaps he will get a chance to prove it.
00:22:53
Speaker 1: Okay, finally here, yes, but doing the local reporting and really sorry it rose up and scrambling on the computer here trying to get it, but It just just came up within the past six minutes as I see here. But the Governor of Tennessee temporary reprise for Tony Coruthers. Quote from the Governor, I am granting Tony Carruthers a temporary reprieve from execution for one year. Additional details from the Tennessee Department of Correction are below.
00:23:19
Speaker 4: And that's all he said.
00:23:20
Speaker 1: Wow. And so the statement you read from the DC is up there as well. That's all he said. He didn't explain anything. We will hear more about this, but Robes, there are a lot of people have been Some are saying he's innocent. Others are saying, at least check this evidence. Got a year to do it, so this has to be nothing short of a victory for those folks.
00:23:40
Speaker 2: Absolutely, and wow, what a surprise twist in this case. Thanks for writing that wave with us in real time. We always appreciate you listening everyone. I made Robock alongside TJ.
00:23:52
Speaker 3: Holmes. We'll talk to you soon.
Speaker 1: Hey, folks, at is Thursday, May twenty first, and a breaking story this afternoon. We thought we'd be hopping on to tell you about the last words of a man on death row. Instead we found out he is going to live another day or maybe is it just another few hours? With that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. We have been following what was an extraordinary couple of days in the United States. Three executions schedule over two days. One was yesterday in Arizona, where it was another one was supposed to be this morning in Tennessee. It has not gone through, and it's not because any court intervened.
00:00:46
Speaker 2: This is not what we expected to happen. In fact, Tony Carruther's execution was scheduled for ten am local time. That's near Memphis, Tennessee, so Central time correct, and it was delayed while folks waited to hear what the Supreme Court was going to do. They were waiting to see the Supreme Court would make a decision on an emergency stay that was requested by the ACLU. The High Court said, nope, we deny it, so the execution can go on as planned. So now we think, okay, the execution is going to take place. But hold up, there were some and a major complication that ensued. As they were allowed to proceed, Suddenly they couldn't find a vein.
00:01:41
Speaker 3: Literally, they spent an hour and.
00:01:43
Speaker 2: A half, according to folks who were there behind the scenes, an hour and a half looking for a vein. They had a main vein, but they needed a backup vein. They couldn't get a backup vein. And because they couldn't do that, they actually had to halt the execution.
00:01:57
Speaker 1: Ah, and so it's didn't go through, and we don't know what happens next. We're talking about a man who's been on death row for a triple homicide, and there are people who have been hooting and hollering about his innocence, saying other evidence needs to be examined, saying yes, that will throw in Kim Kardashian's name. There has been There are hundreds of thousands of people who signed a petition been delivered to the governor.
00:02:18
Speaker 4: They wanted to stop this execution.
00:02:20
Speaker 1: Well, after all of that debate, rollably thought that something might get delayed or stopped, or maybe a court would intervene because a lot was happening court wise, and low and behold.
00:02:29
Speaker 4: The man's going to get to live another day because of a vein.
00:02:33
Speaker 1: Now, we did talk and it's worth noting, and we need to look up and maybe I'll do it here roads while we're talking. When this death warn't expires. We talked about this as a morning execution, and some states will plan it for off hours if you will to allow, well they didn't go right, or some court intervention or we need some paperwork. The death warn't actually expires at a certain time, so they have to essentially execute somebody within that time period. Now, Ropes, this is just happening, So I haven't seen. You tell me if you've seen otherwise, if they're going to continue to attempt today or we are done for now.
00:03:10
Speaker 2: The local news reporter from that area said that for now, Carruthers has been allowed to return to his cell, so we just know he was returned to his cell or a cell at the prison, so he's not sitting there strapped to a gurney with medical professionals trying to find a vein anymore.
00:03:29
Speaker 3: Because that took place this morning.
00:03:31
Speaker 2: It is interesting we were talking, well, some states do this morning procedure so that they can allow for any sort of problem that they might incur, any complication. Not sure what the next step is, because the Tennessee Department of Corrections literally put out a press release saying that the medics were able to establish a primary vein, unsuccessful in finding the required backup line.
00:03:55
Speaker 3: The quote is, the team continued.
00:03:56
Speaker 2: To follow the protocol but could not find another suitable vein. The team attempted to insert a central line pursuant to the protocol, but the procedure was unsuccessful. The execution was then called off.
00:04:10
Speaker 4: This is horrible.
00:04:11
Speaker 3: Yeah, this is from the Tennessee Department of Correction.
00:04:13
Speaker 4: This is horrible for all parties involved.
00:04:15
Speaker 1: And I know you're not supposed to necessarily sit here and have sympathy for a triple murderer, convicted triple murder who's about to be executed. But you got family, you got people collected. They're waiting for this, and he is waiting to die, and he is sitting there for an hour hour plus, y'all can't find a vein to kill me. Now, Robes, that is cruel and unusual, I would argue, but the death warrant, according to all local reporting, expires at midnight, and so his attorneys have now asked for a stay based on what has happened today that has not happened, meaning Robes. The death warrant expires at midnight. These folks still have another ten hours essentially to kill them if they want to.
00:04:59
Speaker 2: This is this is really fascinating. This is again something that I haven't seen before. And look, I'm somebody who's had to have unfortunately a lot of IVS in my life, and finding veins can be tough, especially if you're stressed, if you're dehydrated. You've even had an issue with that. Remember when you got taken away in that van. They were saying that your veins were depleted because you were so dehydrated.
00:05:21
Speaker 3: So I don't know, are they going to try.
00:05:23
Speaker 2: To hydrate him, give him a bunch of fluids, see if they try again, or are they just calling this thing off There everyone in the area is trying to get information as to whether or not it's going to be rescheduled later today, rescheduled for a later date. But the way death warrants work, once it runs out at midnight, they have to go through a whole process of re establishing or scheduling an execution date.
00:05:50
Speaker 1: So yeah, yeah, there are folks and the governor probably included in this. You don't want to have to do this again and go through this process again. How can we fix? How can we correct where we don't have to sign another death warrant that we don't extend what has already rob has been a lot of back and forth about this case. He was about to be executed right he's on. So the state has no intention and the courts have made clear so far they have no intention of intervening. There is no one here who can stop this at this point unless Robes. Is there a new argument now about the botched execution that can be used to stay the execution? Do they have more of a legal argument now given what just happened, because no court was buying any legal argument he had before the execution.
00:06:42
Speaker 2: Started, possibly as before basically he had issues with his veins. He had exhausted every single legal remedy that was available to him and any other death row inmate, including having the power of Kim Kardashian's voice, who made a public plea to the governor, the ACLU who made that legal last ditch effort to the Supreme Court.
00:07:05
Speaker 3: They said that Tennessee.
00:07:07
Speaker 2: This is what the ACLU said, and they're release that Tennessee is sitting on unidentified DNA and fingerprint evidence that does match does not match mister Carruthers, and if tested, could exonerate him. So that was their big argument today. That was before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court refused to hear it, so that was rejected. The governor said, I ain't stepping in. I have carefully reviewed this case. Obviously, he heard the pleas from ACLU and Kim Kardashian and still decided to make a public statement this week saying I Am not going to stop this execution. So he had no other once the Supreme Court said no this morning, he had no other legal remedies.
00:07:45
Speaker 1: So does he have one now, I don't know, but as we as we speak, this just all went down in a matter of minutes before we started on the microphones here. But yeah, a matter of minutes, but we had been waiting a matter of hours. We still have a live feed up here where they were expecting witnesses to come out and speak to the media. No one has come up there. They have been holding this live shot. We keep seeing reporting on not reporters, but camera guys go up. They have to change the batteries on some of their microphones. It has been sitting there for so long, for hours, we've been waiting and waiting without getting any official word. And the only word we've gotten is very limited. Right now, his attorneys have at least come out, and they said a few things about the vein. They have asked for a new stay of execution based on this, which has not been granted. This means, Robes, this man is still sentenced to die. He just might need a new date. It does not Matt unless a court steps in and says the execution is called off, Tennessee can proceed.
00:08:45
Speaker 4: If they don't do it by midnight.
00:08:46
Speaker 1: I'm not sure how quickly he can sign another death warrant and get him back on the schedule. But Robes, no matter what, no matter how this looks, and all the back and forth, he is a condemned killer. And right now we just got to work through some veins and some paperwork. Nothing has changed for about his case.
00:09:06
Speaker 2: I wonder, though, yes, you are correct, nothing has changed. But I wonder, given this delay, if the attorneys have any window in this period of.
00:09:16
Speaker 3: Time where I mean, I don't know if it's ours. We don't know if it's days, weeks, months, maybe even years. That's how these things go.
00:09:21
Speaker 2: But in the interim, is there any way that DNA testing takes forever?
00:09:26
Speaker 4: Though?
00:09:26
Speaker 2: Right?
00:09:27
Speaker 3: It takes weeks.
00:09:27
Speaker 2: We've been waiting for DNA testing in the Nancy Guthrie case, it seems like well, certainly for months. So it's unclear how long it would take to even test this fingerprint DNA as to who it belongs to. But the big point of argument was from folks who have really examined this case. There is no physical evidence, forensic evidence linking him to these heinous murders. And these murders were as bad and as awful and as terrible as you can imagine, including being buried alive in a grave with your dead son. I mean, that's how awful these murders were that he was convicted of.
00:10:01
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, but ro this evidence we talk about being tested? I mean we've how many cases we've had some recently at the end, guys had twenty years to test some DNA. But a couple of days away from his execution, Oh yeah, that DNA can we get that tested? I mean this is what you want. Look, he wasn't given more time by a court. He might have just been given more time by a higher power or whatever. Eh, I was just gonna sever you want to go with. But this, this is this is how things work. Could it be possible his life ends up getting saved, evidence ends up getting tested and it changes the outcome. I don't know what robes. There's plenty of people out there who think he is as guilty as hell. That's true, he absolutely should be. And I know there are issues with the case, having to do with attorneys, having to do with paid informants convicting him, having to do with the evidence that needs to be reviewed.
00:10:54
Speaker 4: I get all that.
00:10:55
Speaker 1: But a jury of his peers convicted him, and he's had what the year was the crime two thousand and two thousand and two?
00:11:01
Speaker 2: Which one was this two thousand and No, this was nineteen ninety four, babe.
00:11:09
Speaker 3: So he has been on death row for that long.
00:11:12
Speaker 2: Okay, so thirty two years.
00:11:16
Speaker 1: And here we are and now in this moment this happens, you know, and folks, we are literally we have we are standing by, and we keep refreshing, we keep looking for updates that just at this point are not coming, but it is significant. It is a big deal that the Department of Corrections in Tennessee has at least what they say, called off the execution. But robes did we see called off for today? Called off for now, I think is the word his attorney's use. But called off until what can be resolved, until we can get some electrolytes and some gatorade up in them and get them hydrated and get a vein.
00:11:54
Speaker 4: I don't know, is he really waiting, yes, for a vein to pop out?
00:11:58
Speaker 2: Yeah, this is wild to just with all of the effort that went into trying to stop this execution, and his own body may have saved him or spared him at least.
00:12:08
Speaker 1: For now for now. But stay here with us, we'll explain what exactly happened. States have different protocol when it comes to lethal injection. Some states use a three drug cocktail. Tennessee is not one of them. All right, we continue here on Amy and TJ with the word we just got a short time ago that an execution plan today this morning in Tennessee is called off for now, not because of a court's intervention, but because they could not find a vein. Roll There are certain or several anti death penalty organizations who have put out a number Their statements are flying right now, and they're pointing to this a lot of them. It's not just about guilt or innocence for a lot of advocates or excuse me, opponents of the death Penerally, they say it is cruel and unusual that so many of these drugs are not dependable, that so many of these there's not a consistent protocol around the country. Everybody's doing it their own way, and you have botched They use that word aligne. We've seen some in the past botched executions where the person suffers. I guess this is botched, but ropes. It doesn't really have anything to do with the drug itself. It doesn't really have a lot to do with how they were trying to do the lethal injection ropes. You mentioned me in a second ago. I remember an embarrassing moment I had in early in my career where I was supposed to go give blood right and their cameras are there, We're doing a whole story on it, and I'm laid up. My cameraman's shooting me. They couldn't find a vein because I was dehydrated. I went out and partied the night before. I remember this and I always remember that. How that, Yeah, it's a deal, pental barbitall Do.
00:14:03
Speaker 4: I have it right?
00:14:04
Speaker 3: Yes, pento barbital.
00:14:05
Speaker 1: They used a one drug cocktail there, and yes it sounds like one drug, one needle, but that is not the protocol in Tennessee.
00:14:14
Speaker 2: Yeah, you have to have a backup line. And that they got one vein, they got one IV. Imagine that he's sitting there, got an IV in his arm and they're trying to find another vein for a backup line and they can't find it.
00:14:26
Speaker 3: They can't get it.
00:14:27
Speaker 2: Now, this is interesting because you pointed out you were just talking about lethal injection and how a lot of anti death penalty groups and certain certainly attorneys who are advocating for their clients have pointed to this method of execution as cruel and unusual, because yes, it does vary. Each state does do it differently, different protocols, different cocktails. Some sort of pharmaceutical companies even stop supplying certain drugs to states because they were against the use of their drugs to execute people. And so, yes, they have the single drug lethal injection but the state of Tennessee had problems that actually they had a five year pause on executions because of issues with lethal injection. So they have Last year they executed three people and as recently as December of twenty twenty five, all of those went off without any issues or any problems.
00:15:25
Speaker 3: But certainly the state is not.
00:15:27
Speaker 2: They've had their share of them to the point where they did put a hiatus on the death penalty for five years. So look, this is not what anyone who is in the business of following through and carrying out are or at least that state's protocols.
00:15:44
Speaker 3: And so this is a problem.
00:15:45
Speaker 2: And this is certainly going to come up with not only Corruther's attorneys but other death throw inmates. They're going to point to this case right here. See, this is why this is cruel and unusual. This is why this is.
00:15:57
Speaker 3: Not an acceptable form of execution.
00:15:59
Speaker 1: But you know, we were well, we covered a lot of executions last year and Robes, I can't remember one now that didn't go off without a hitch. I mean, they all they all seem to because everybody was waiting to see these these methods, these drugs are gonna be a problem and from all the reports that we got, it worked the way it was supposed to. And what is it, Alabama? Was the nitrogen the nitrogen Alabama? The nitrogen gas? Yes, they so they have another method that people were, you know, a little skeptical about, and all of those went through without people complaining about any adverse reaction. I mean, how adverse can it be when somebody's killing you? But it worked the way it.
00:16:37
Speaker 4: Was supposed to.
00:16:38
Speaker 1: So this Robes for that reason is kind of surprising that it didn't go through. But again, we're not talking about the drugs. We're not talking about him suffering. We're talking about we can't find wrote one needle. So he sees the needle go into him. That's gonna kill him, right, yea, the primary needle goes in. That's the one that's gonna deliver a drug that is going to put me down.
00:17:01
Speaker 4: And then they're poking around for an hour, trying to an hour and a half trying to find another vein.
00:17:05
Speaker 2: That is Look, I've had, I've had that when obviously it was to help me live or be healthy. Not being able to find a vein that is an incredibly painful they're poking, they're prodding. They're trying to find veins. Your veins are collapsing. I'm wondering, here's where my head goes. If I'm on death row and I want to avoid being executed by lethal injection, I'm gonna just abstain from drinking anything hope that my veins are collapsed. My veins aren't capable of taking in a needle like this is actually I've never heard of this, but I actually want to go check and see if Tennessee has any other options because a lot of times, look before the death warning is signed, or is it when the death warning is signed, you actually sign up for the kind or the type of execution you'd like. So obviously lethal injection is the state's primary method, but they actually do allow a firing squad according to Tennessee if lethal injection is unavailable or if the inmate chooses it. So I don't even know what they would do now going forward, if they are trying to proceed with this, if they already know the lethal injection is not reliable for this particular inmate, would they would they put him up in front of a firing squad. And oddly, they do have an electric chair. They do have electrocution, but it's only allowed for inmates who committed crimes prior to nineteen ninety nine.
00:18:25
Speaker 3: Well, that would also be for others because he committed his crime in nineteen ninety six.
00:18:29
Speaker 2: So now he has a new death warrant signed. Is he going to have to choose between the electric chair and a firing squad because the lethal injection didn't go well this time.
00:18:39
Speaker 3: There's a lot of questions that need to be answered.
00:18:42
Speaker 4: Do I have that they do get the option right?
00:18:48
Speaker 3: They do?
00:18:49
Speaker 2: And if you don't choose, I think it just defaults to lethal injection.
00:18:52
Speaker 3: That's the primary method.
00:18:54
Speaker 2: But you are allowed to choose between a firing squad and yes, if you committed your crime before nineteen ninety nine, you can choose the electric chair. I cannot imagine, but they said eligible inmates may elect the electric chair in writing fourteen days.
00:19:08
Speaker 3: Before their scheduled execution. That seems to Cob. That seems so Macob.
00:19:14
Speaker 2: But you know what, the whole thing seems macab to a lot of folks.
00:19:19
Speaker 1: We are getting now in Rose. I'm trying to confirm this and get reporting. But the local affiliates there in Memphis and Nashville are reporting now that the execution is not going to go forward. In fact, the governor of Tennessee now Governor Lee, has granted Robes a one year reprieve. This is being and this is double sourced at least now, but that the governor has decided to go forward with a one year reprieve, essentially giving him pushing and kicking the can down the road. This now Robes opens up. You had a full year year possibly now to do.
00:20:01
Speaker 3: Whatever it is those fingerprints, So.
00:20:03
Speaker 1: There's nothing else I mean, this is that you can't get any Robes. He was gonna die, Babe.
00:20:08
Speaker 2: I just got chills from head to toe because I just went there in my head. And look, he may be as guilty as they come. But to think that if they test this fingerprint and they find someone else and somehow it's proven or he's exonerated, can you imagine that scenario that it took literally him being strapped to this gourney and medic's not able to find a second fain.
00:20:38
Speaker 3: This is wild and it's TBD. We don't know.
00:20:42
Speaker 1: I if that turns out to be the case, I might go out there and advocate against the death penalty.
00:20:48
Speaker 4: Myself, we got that close to messing up again.
00:20:52
Speaker 2: If it would sure seemed like divine intervention. If and that's a big if, but my God or.
00:20:59
Speaker 1: Could go the other way, Robes and give us a chance to just get it one hundred percent correct.
00:21:05
Speaker 3: You know what, I don't understand what the harm in that is now.
00:21:07
Speaker 2: I think obviously we've argued and we've talked about the fact that he's been on death row for thirty two years.
00:21:12
Speaker 3: Why now? But you know what, why not?
00:21:17
Speaker 4: You know what?
00:21:18
Speaker 1: The families, I always say, I will hold off on everything until I hear how they are feeling today about what's just taking place. How many years you say, nineteen ninety four.
00:21:28
Speaker 2: Ninety six, nineteen ninety six, thirty years? Okay, he was sentenced to death in ninety six. Excuse me, but the crime was in ninety.
00:21:36
Speaker 4: Four, thirty years.
00:21:38
Speaker 1: There were family members, There was three people he's convicted of killing, and we should as a reminder, hear Robes. He did have an accomplice who was convicted as well. But that person happens to be out of prison right now. But they did serve and still what was it? An Alfred plea right didn't admit to guilt but still admit it. There's a enough evidence that I could be proven guilty, but went through that whole process and now they're out. But they were convicted to was it initially death as well?
00:22:08
Speaker 2: It was initially to death, but then they were allowed to be freed.
00:22:11
Speaker 3: And Caruthers, by the way we should.
00:22:13
Speaker 2: Put it, has maintained his innocence since his conviction, and he claims and this is I think fairly verifiable. The state's case pretty much was primarily based on the testimony, and you pointed this out of a paid informant, So there are still a lot of questions. But the victims in this case suffered a horrific fate. A twenty one year old and a seventeen year old were shot and then buried, and then the twenty one year old's mother was buried alive in a grave that had been dug for someone else. And this was just as awful as it gets. But he has maintained his innocence and now perhaps he will get a chance to prove it.
00:22:53
Speaker 1: Okay, finally here, yes, but doing the local reporting and really sorry it rose up and scrambling on the computer here trying to get it, but It just just came up within the past six minutes as I see here. But the Governor of Tennessee temporary reprise for Tony Coruthers. Quote from the Governor, I am granting Tony Carruthers a temporary reprieve from execution for one year. Additional details from the Tennessee Department of Correction are below.
00:23:19
Speaker 4: And that's all he said.
00:23:20
Speaker 1: Wow. And so the statement you read from the DC is up there as well. That's all he said. He didn't explain anything. We will hear more about this, but Robes, there are a lot of people have been Some are saying he's innocent. Others are saying, at least check this evidence. Got a year to do it, so this has to be nothing short of a victory for those folks.
00:23:40
Speaker 2: Absolutely, and wow, what a surprise twist in this case. Thanks for writing that wave with us in real time. We always appreciate you listening everyone. I made Robock alongside TJ.
00:23:52
Speaker 3: Holmes. We'll talk to you soon.