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

In a guest column for The Tennessean, former Tennessee corrections officer Ian Congleton writes about the trauma he experienced working executions over a two-year period.

" In my early 20s, I spent two years as a correctional officer with the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC), working at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution. I was there when Tennessee started executions again in 2018, and I worked on several executions. That experience nearly cost me my life. 

In the years since, I have tried not to think about that period. But when I saw the news about TDOC’s botched attempt to execute Tony Carruthers in May, I felt compelled to share my experience. That is why I sent a letter to Gov. Bill Lee asking him to protect correctional staff from the trauma I suffered by pausing executions, at least until TDOC demonstrates it can carry them out in compliance with its protocol."

Read the full column here.