NASHVILLE, TN (WOKI / WVLT) – A Tennessee state representative is calling on Governor Bill Lee to remove the physician who oversaw the state’s two most recent failed executions, citing growing concerns about Tennessee’s lethal injection procedures and public confidence in the execution process.
State Rep. Lowell Russell, a Republican representing Tennessee’s 21st District, sent a letter to Gov. Lee urging him to terminate Dr. Mark Fowler, the physician involved in both the failed execution of death row inmate Christa Pike and the botched execution attempt of Tony Carruthers earlier this year.
In his letter, Russell argued that immediate action is necessary to restore trust in the Tennessee Department of Correction following the back-to-back execution failures.
“Due to repeated failed executions, Tennesseans deserve immediate action to ensure public trust in TDOC,” Russell wrote.
Concerns Following Pike Execution
Russell said many of his constituents have contacted him following the Sept. 30 execution attempt involving Pike, who survived after Tennessee administered two doses of pentobarbital during what was intended to be a lethal injection.
Pike remains hospitalized in critical condition following the procedure, according to reports from her attorneys.
“The majority of my constituents support the death penalty when it’s carried out properly,” Russell wrote. “Halting the remaining executions is not only unfair to the victims’ families, it undermines the judicial process that sentenced murderers to death.”
The lawmaker also called for the removal of other executive appointments connected to the state’s execution process.
Push to Revive Electric Chair
Russell’s letter went beyond personnel changes.
The lawmaker also urged the governor to consider expanding the use of Tennessee’s electric chair for future executions, arguing that the state should move away from a lethal injection protocol that has now been linked to multiple highly controversial and unsuccessful execution attempts.
The proposal echoes comments made by U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who is also a candidate for Tennessee governor and has expressed support for increased use of the electric chair following the recent execution controversies.
Timeline of Pike’s Failed Execution
Pike’s execution on Sept. 30 followed a day of intense legal maneuvering.
Less than an hour before the execution was scheduled to begin, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit granted a stay, temporarily halting the process. Tennessee officials quickly appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which lifted the stay just before 7 p.m., allowing the execution to proceed.
Hours later, Pike was still alive despite receiving what attorneys say were two doses of the state’s lethal injection drug.
The failed execution has sparked multiple investigations and renewed scrutiny of Tennessee’s death penalty procedures.
The Crime Behind the Death Sentence
Pike was convicted and sentenced to death in 1996 for the murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, a fellow member of the Job Corps program in Knoxville.
Prosecutors said Pike conspired with Tadaryl Shipp and Shadolla Peterson to kill Slemmer in January 1995. Testimony during the trial revealed the attack was especially brutal, with evidence showing a pentacle was carved into Slemmer’s chest and that a portion of the victim’s skull was later kept as a souvenir.
The crime drew national attention and remains one of Tennessee’s most notorious murder cases.
What’s Next
Governor Lee has already ordered an independent review of Tennessee’s execution procedures and paused upcoming executions while the investigation is conducted. Russell’s call for personnel changes and a possible return to the electric chair is likely to add further pressure on state officials as they determine the future of Tennessee’s death penalty system.
