Tennessee stops execution after failing to find vein for lethal drugs

U.S. Tennessee stops execution after failing to find inmate's vein for lethal drugs, attorney says May 21, 2026 / 1:54 PM EDT / AP Add CBS News on Google The planned execution of death row inmate Tony Carruthers in Tennessee was called off Thursday after officials struggled to find a vein for an hour, according to his attorney, who was present at the execution.Maria DeLiberato, an attorney for Carruthers, said she saw Carruthers "wincing and groaning" and called it "horrible" to watch.An email to a spokeswoman for the state corrections department was not immediately returned.This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. .component--type-recirculation { .item:nth-child(7), .card-recirc:nth-child(7) { display: none; } } #inline-recirc-item--id-5ad48b95-658d-4242-85ff-9aa5c35828d8, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-5ad48b95-658d-4242-85ff-9aa5c35828d8 { display: none; } #inline-recirc-item--id-5ad48b95-658d-4242-85ff-9aa5c35828d8 ~ .item:nth-child(7) { display: block; } In: Capital Punishment Tennessee Execution © 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.