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Tennessee Governor Pauses Executions After Second Botched Execution This Year
Tennessee Governor Pauses Executions After Second Botched Execution This Year
Tennessee has paused executions following the state's second botched execution this year, putting the scheduled December execution of death row inmate Gary Wayne Sutton on hold.
Sutton was convicted of murdering Tommy Griffin and Connie Branham in 1992 and was next in line to be executed.
The decision comes after the botched execution of Christa Pike. According to her attorneys, Pike was on a ventilator and unconscious in a Middle Tennessee hospital as of Friday following the execution attempt.
Sutton is represented by a legal group that also works with Pike's case. His attorneys say they are closely watching her situation.
In a statement released Friday, Sutton's attorneys said the news brought them little satisfaction, saying no one should be forced to suffer as Pike and another Tennessee death row inmate, Tony Carruthers, allegedly did during their executions.
Sutton's attorneys are also challenging his eligibility for execution, arguing that he is intellectually disabled. They are asking a judge to hear their claims.
Sutton and his uncle, James Dellinger, were both sentenced to death for the 1992 killings. Dellinger died on death row in 2023 from apparent natural causes.
The victims' family and prosecutors maintain that Sutton is guilty.
Sandy Branam, the daughter of victim Connie Branam, said her family once supported the death penalty but now wishes Sutton and others involved had received life without parole.
“To me, I just wish they did life without parole, so we don't have to sit and go through this every so often,” Branam said.
Sutton also has supporters who maintain that he is innocent.
Carolyn Miller, a friend and supporter of Sutton, said she was relieved that his execution had been halted. She also hopes the developments will prompt a broader discussion about the death penalty in the United States.
With Tennessee's pause on executions, Sutton's December execution date is now in limbo as his legal challenges continue.
By: NBC Palm Springs
October 5, 2026
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