Tennessee has announced plans to resume executions in 2025 after suspending them in 2022 due to concerns about lethal injection protocols. The Department of Corrections confirmed that it will use a drug already employed in over a dozen states for lethal injections. This decision opens the door for scheduling executions for the 46 individuals currently on death row.
The news has elicited a range of reactions. Rudy Kalis, a spiritual advisor who leads a Bible study for death row inmates, noted that the announcement was met with little surprise among those incarcerated. “They’ve expected this,” Kalis said, adding that some inmates believe the new commissioner was appointed to facilitate executions.
Kalis, who has built relationships with the men on death row, expressed his opposition to the death penalty. “What good does it do to kill another man?” he questioned. “Leave them incarcerated for life, but why kill them? What does that achieve?”
On the other side of the debate, Verna Wyatt of Tennessee Voices for Victims emphasized the importance of justice for victims’ families. “These crimes are heinous, and society demands justice for the worst of the worst,” Wyatt said, adding that the prolonged process of executions is torturous for victims’ families. She underscored the difference between the often horrific deaths of the victims and the controlled, arguably humane process afforded to the convicted.
The state’s new lethal injection protocol has sparked concerns from legal advocates like federal Public Defender Kelley Henry, who criticized the lack of transparency. “The state has refused to provide details of the new protocol, which is troubling,” Henry said, pointing out that previous protocols were accessible through public records requests.
Wyatt, however, argued that the focus should remain on justice for victims. “The victims didn’t have a chance to say goodbye or make peace,” she said. “In contrast, these inmates have the opportunity to make their peace and find redemption.”
The Tennessee Supreme Court will set execution dates, though legal challenges are expected to follow. This ongoing debate highlights the tensions between calls for justice, moral opposition to capital punishment, and the need for transparency in the process.
