News Stories

I worked Tennessee executions. The trauma nearly killed me

A former Tennessee correctional officer says working executions left him with PTSD and urges Gov. Bill Lee to pause executions until TDOC can reliably follow its own protocols

Governor Lee Urged to Review Death Row Case as Execution Date Looms for Gary Sutton

Governor Bill Lee had once promised to review the Sutton case before setting an execution date. That promise is no longer theoretical. An execution day has now been scheduled.

Family of Death Row Inmate Gary Wayne Sutton Rallies at Capitol, Calls on Governor to Stop Execution

Gary Wayne Sutton has been on death row since 1996 following his conviction in the 1992 killings of his close friend, Tommy Griffin, and Griffin's sister, Connie Branam.

Did a disgraced Nashville medical examiner put an innocent man on death row?

"Sutton's case has a close connection to disgraced Nashville medical examiner Charles Harlan, who had his license revoked back in 2005." Watch this story on NewsChannel 5

Tennessee Supreme Court sets 2026 execution dates for Christa Pike, three others

"The case against Gary has been riddled with problems since the beginning and Gary has always maintained his innocence," Spivey said. "Gary’s family, friends, and attorneys are working tirelessly to ensure that execution is not his fate." Read more at The Tennessean

An inmate convicted in two Tennessee murders is dead, and his co-defendant is fighting for his life

"But continuing to press ahead on all avenues to avoid the death penalty for Gary Sutton, Dellinger’s codefendant, is a dire mission for his attorneys. Sutton already knew his death date before Tennessee paused all executions last year to review its internal processes." Read more at the Knoxville News Sentinel (for subscribers)