Tennessee set to execute inmate without turning off his implanted defibrillator
Barring a late reprieve requested from the governor or the courts, Byron Black's execution will go forward after a legal back-and-forth over whether the state would need to turn off his implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, or ICD. The nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center said it's unaware of any other cases in which an inmate was making similar claims to Black about ICDs or pacemakers.
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CTV News
18 minutes ago
- CTV News
Attorney says heart device did not shock Tennessee man in execution who said he was ‘hurting so bad'
Relatives of the victims of convicted murderer Byron Black stay in the area reserved for pro-death penalty advocates outside Riverbend Maximum Security Institution before the execution of Black, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A Tennessee man who said he was 'hurting so bad' during his lethal injection this week was not shocked by his implanted defibrillator, his attorney said Friday. Kelley Henry, the federal public defender for Byron Black, said her team received an initial evaluation of the data from his implantable cardioverter defibrillator. The ICD information eliminates one possible cause for Black's comment about pain during his execution Tuesday, and other actions such as when he picked his head up off the gurney and groaned, she said. But many questions remain unanswered, she said. 'Make no mistake, we all saw with our own eyes that the pentobarbital did not work like the State's expert testified that it would,' Henry said in her statement, referencing Tennessee's lethal injection drug, pentobarbital. 'Mr. Black suffered.' Black was executed after a back-and-forth in court over whether officials would need to turn off his ICD due to claims it might cause unnecessary, painful shocks to try to fix his heartbeat as the drugs were administered, potentially prolonging the execution. Henry said she's been told it will be eight to 12 weeks before an autopsy report will be released. She also said their team will be making public records requests to try to piece together what happened. She has said this includes access to Black's electrocardiograph readings from the execution. A Tennessee Department of Correction spokesperson referred a request to comment about the ICD findings to the attorney general's office, which did not immediately respond to an email. Black was convicted in the 1988 shooting deaths of his girlfriend Angela Clay, 29, and her two daughters, Latoya Clay, 9, and Lakeisha Clay, 6. Prosecutors said he was in a jealous rage when he shot the three at their home. At the time, Black was on work-release while serving time for shooting Clay's estranged husband. Black died at 10:43 a.m. on Tuesday, prison officials said. It was about 10 minutes after the execution started and Black talked about being in pain. Ahead of that, when he was asked for any last words, he replied, 'No sir.' Black looked around the room as the execution began, lifting his head off the gurney multiple times, and could be heard sighing and breathing heavily. All seven media witnesses to the execution agreed he appeared to be in discomfort. 'Oh, it's hurting so bad,' Black said, as he lay with his hands and chest restrained to the gurney, a sheet covering up past his lower half, and an IV line in his right arm visible to media witnesses. 'I'm so sorry. Just listen to my voice,' a spiritual adviser in the death chamber with him responded. In mid-July, a trial court judge agreed with Black's attorneys and ordered officials to have the defibrillator deactivated. But Tennessee's Supreme Court overturned that decision last Thursday, saying the other judge lacked authority to order the change. The state disputed that the lethal injection would cause Black's defibrillator to shock him and said he wouldn't feel them regardless. Black, 69, was in a wheelchair, suffering from dementia, brain damage, kidney failure, congestive heart failure and other conditions, his attorneys have said. The nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center said it's unaware of any other cases with similar claims to Black's about ICDs or pacemakers. Black's attorneys said they haven't found a comparable case, either. Henry also said officials struggled to insert an IV into his left side, and used some kind of medical device, presumably to find a usable vein, Henry said. They seemed to have no trouble getting an IV into Black's right side, she said. That process is not viewed by media witnesses, whose perspective begins when Black is already strapped in and hooked up to IV lines on the gurney. Jonathan Mattise, The Associated Press
Toronto Sun
an hour ago
- Toronto Sun
Attorney says heart device did not shock Tennessee man in execution who said he was 'hurting so bad'
Published Aug 08, 2025 • 3 minute read Relatives of the victims of convicted murderer Byron Black stay in the area reserved for pro-death penalty advocates outside Riverbend Maximum Security Institution before the execution of Black, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. Photo by Mark Humphrey / AP NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee man who said he was 'hurting so bad' during his lethal injection this week was not shocked by his implanted defibrillator, his attorney said Friday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Kelley Henry, the federal public defender for Byron Black, said her team received an initial evaluation of the data from his implantable cardioverter defibrillator. The ICD information eliminates one possible cause for Black's comment about pain during his execution Tuesday, and other actions such as when he picked his head up off the gurney and groaned, she said. But many questions remain unanswered, she said. 'Make no mistake, we all saw with our own eyes that the pentobarbital did not work like the State's expert testified that it would,' Henry said in her statement, referencing Tennessee's lethal injection drug, pentobarbital. 'Mr. Black suffered.' Black was executed after a back-and-forth in court over whether officials would need to turn off his ICD due to claims it might cause unnecessary, painful shocks to try to fix his heartbeat as the drugs were administered, potentially prolonging the execution. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Henry said she's been told it will be eight to 12 weeks before an autopsy report will be released. She also said their team will be making public records requests to try to piece together what happened. She has said this includes access to Black's electrocardiograph readings from the execution. A Tennessee Department of Correction spokesperson referred a request to comment about the ICD findings to the attorney general's office, which did not immediately respond to an email. Black was convicted in the 1988 shooting deaths of his girlfriend Angela Clay, 29, and her two daughters, Latoya Clay, 9, and Lakeisha Clay, 6. Prosecutors said he was in a jealous rage when he shot the three at their home. At the time, Black was on work-release while serving time for shooting Clay's estranged husband. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Black died at 10:43 a.m. on Tuesday, prison officials said. It was about 10 minutes after the execution started and Black talked about being in pain. Ahead of that, when he was asked for any last words, he replied, 'No sir.' Black looked around the room as the execution began, lifting his head off the gurney multiple times, and could be heard sighing and breathing heavily. All seven media witnesses to the execution agreed he appeared to be in discomfort. This undated booking photo provided by the Tennessee Department of Corrections shows Byron Black. Photo by Tennessee Department of Corrections / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 'Oh, it's hurting so bad,' Black said, as he lay with his hands and chest restrained to the gurney, a sheet covering up past his lower half, and an IV line in his right arm visible to media witnesses. 'I'm so sorry. Just listen to my voice,' a spiritual adviser in the death chamber with him responded. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In mid-July, a trial court judge agreed with Black's attorneys and ordered officials to have the defibrillator deactivated. But Tennessee's Supreme Court overturned that decision last Thursday, saying the other judge lacked authority to order the change. The state disputed that the lethal injection would cause Black's defibrillator to shock him and said he wouldn't feel them regardless. Black, 69, was in a wheelchair, suffering from dementia, brain damage, kidney failure, congestive heart failure and other conditions, his attorneys have said. The nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center said it's unaware of any other cases with similar claims to Black's about ICDs or pacemakers. Black's attorneys said they haven't found a comparable case, either. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Henry also said officials struggled to insert an IV into his left side, and used some kind of medical device, presumably to find a usable vein, Henry said. They seemed to have no trouble getting an IV into Black's right side, she said. That process is not viewed by media witnesses, whose perspective begins when Black is already strapped in and hooked up to IV lines on the gurney. Read More Toronto Blue Jays Editorials Tennis Sunshine Girls Toronto & GTA
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
4 arrested in Brazilian police raids against gang running illegal ride-hailing app in Rio
SAO PAULO (AP) — Police in Rio de Janeiro carried out raids against a criminal group Friday that allegedly operated a clandestine ride-hailing app that generated monthly profits of up to 1 million reais (about $185,000), authorities said. At least four people were arrested. Officials said in a statement that Comando Vermelho, one of Brazil's most notorious criminal organizations, coerced motorcycle drivers into installing a ride-hailing app developed by the group and using it in Vila Kennedy, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. More than 300 drivers were registered with the app, and the revenue was funneled through shell companies to finance drug trafficking operations. Police have arrested four people so far and executed 12 search and seizure warrants in Rio and neighboring cities. Authorities said the ride-hailing operation was run by two well-structured groups: one that threatened and extorted drivers, and another that collected the profits and transferred them to the local drug lord. Comando Vermelho, which translates to Red Command in English, is one of Brazil's oldest and largest criminal gangs. Originating in Rio de Janeiro's prison system in the late 1970s, the group has expanded its operations into other criminal businesses, including international cocaine trafficking, and it also controls territory in several of Rio's working-class neighborhoods. Armed groups that dominate these areas often manage basic services such as gas, internet and transportation. Brazilian media recently reported that Comando Vermelho has banned the use of popular ride-hailing apps like Uber and 99 from operating in certain areas. Motorcycle taxis are a longstanding and popular mode of transportation in Rio and other Brazilian cities. Uber launched its motorcycle ride service in Rio in January 2023 and, two years later, the company said in a statement that it had transported 3 million users and registered 100,000 drivers. ___ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at
