The state of Tennessee offers two options for executing condemned inmates: a lethal injection or the electric chair. While the national trend has shifted away from the electric chair, Tennessee has witnessed a peculiar phenomenon where several inmates, including Mr. Sutton, have chosen electrocution over the seemingly more modern lethal injection.

The default method, as dictated by state law, involves a series of injections – one for sedation, followed by others to paralyze the inmate and ultimately stop their heart. However, the choice of electrocution by inmates has been attributed to fears of experiencing intense discomfort during lethal injection, as reported instances of botched procedures and pain have raised concerns.

The use of the electric chair, considered outdated by many, is a rare choice in modern executions. Nationally, no state has employed the electric chair since 2013. The shift toward lethal injection in the late 20th century was driven by the perception that it was a visually calmer and less violent alternative to electrocution. However, recent years have seen challenges to this perspective, with errors, problematic executions, and difficulties in acquiring the necessary drugs prompting a reevaluation of lethal injection.

Pharmaceutical companies’ reluctance to be associated with providing drugs for executions has compounded the challenges faced by states employing lethal injection. In Ohio, a federal judge likened part of the state’s lethal injection protocol to waterboarding, emphasizing concerns about cruelty and needless suffering.

The broader context of the death penalty in the United States reveals a decline in its application, with seven states executing 22 individuals in 2019, marking the second-lowest number since 1991. Last year, New Hampshire became the 21st state to abolish capital punishment, and Ohio paused executions due to challenges in obtaining drugs and concerns over the method’s constitutionality.

While some states, like Ohio, have put a temporary hold on executions, others, such as Oklahoma, have announced a resumption after a hiatus. In Tennessee, the lethal injection protocol involves three drugs: midazolam (sedative), vecuronium bromide (paralytic), and potassium chloride (heart-stopper). Despite debates surrounding the constitutionality of lethal injection, Tennessee’s governor, Bill Lee, continues to support the death penalty for what he deems the “most heinous of crimes.” Medical experts, however, argue that lethal injection tests the constitutional limits on cruel punishment, particularly with concerns about the efficacy of the sedative in mitigating pain during the execution process.