Two Executions on a Thursday in America
AtlanticNov 27, 2021
Tennessee Halts Executions, Announces Investigation into Lethal Injections
Image copyright: AP [via The Guardian]
The Facts
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee paused executions until the end of 2022 on Mon. in order to enable a review of lethal injection procedures.
This comes after testing oversights forced the state to call off the execution of Oscar Smith approximately an hour before he was due to die this month.
The Spin
Narrative A
The secrecy surrounding the "oversight" made by Tennessee is unusual, and doesn't aid the ongoing pushes in America to determine the process of death by lethal injection unconstitutional.
Narrative B
The controversies regarding the use of lethal injection will only further reaffirm desires by states to use more draconian and less merciful execution methods such as the electric chair and the firing squad.
Narrative C
Capital punishment is a barbaric affair that compounds violence with violence. It eliminates any possibility of rehabilitation, drains tax dollars, and revictimizes a murder victim's loved ones. The death penalty is no more effective at ensuring a safe society than a life sentence - it needs re-examining.