Judy Lynn
Tennessee inmate's execution paused again due to COVID-19

By Jonathan Mattise Jan. 05, 2021 06:42 PM EST
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Supreme Court on Tuesday hit pause again on a death row inmate's scheduled execution because of the COVID-19 pandemic. ...

FILE - In this Oct. 13, 1999, file photo, Ricky Bell, then the warden at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, Tenn., gives a tour of the prison's execution chamber. An attorney said her team has lost “critical time” in representing a Tennessee death row inmate slated for execution in June, 2020, due to the new coronavirus and restrictions in place to curb its spread. The attorney for inmate Oscar Smith gave the update in a state Supreme Court filing recently to argue further that his execution should be put on hold due to the health pandemic. Smith's legal team asked for the stay of execution due to COVID-19 in March, 2020.(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
Tennessee delays June execution due to coronavirus

By Travis Loller Apr. 17, 2020 04:55 PM EDT