NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Gov. Bill Lee says Tennessee is pausing executions for the rest of the year.
Lee says that will provide time for an independent review of how the state's lethal injection process as well as corrective action.
A testing oversight forced him to call off the execution of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die last month.
Lee said Monday that former U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton will review the testing of lethal injection chemicals and the clarity of the manual staffers use at the Tennessee Department of Correction.
A federal public defender praised the Republican governor for his “great leadership” for launching the review.
