Latest news with #ByronBlack
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Yahoo
Tennessee death row inmate makes last-ditch effort to prevent Aug. 5 execution
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Attorneys for a Tennessee death row inmate have launched a last-ditch effort to prevent his Aug. 5 execution. In Nashville's Chancery Court, they are asking a judge to require the Tennessee Department of Correction to deactivate an implanted defibrillation device similar to a pacemaker in the moments before Byron Black's execution. If the judge rules in their favor, such an order could potentially delay the execution until the state finds someone willing to do the deactivation. Meanwhile, at the state Supreme Court level, they want judges to order a lower court to consider their claim that Black is incompetent to be executed. The attorneys also have filed a general challenge to the state's new execution protocol, but with a trial scheduled for 2026, any ruling there will come too late for Black. Black was convicted in the 1988 shooting deaths of girlfriend Angela Clay, 29, and her two daughters, Latoya, 9, and Lakeisha, 6. Prosecutors said Black 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 and wounding Clay's estranged husband. Black has already seen three execution dates come and go, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and a pause on all executions from Gov. Bill Lee after the Department of Correction was found to not be testing the execution drugs for potency and purity as required. Black's attorneys have previously tried and failed to show that he should not be executed because he is intellectually disabled, and that would violate the state's Constitution. In a new twist on the same theme, his attorneys now argue that the court should consider Black's competence to be executed under older English common law standards. The state counters that Black does not meet the criteria for incompetency because he understands his conviction, his pending execution, and the relation between the two. Separately, Black's attorneys are asking a different court to rule that his implanted cardioverter-defibrillator must be deactivated just before the execution. They suggest that otherwise the device will continually try to restart his heart, prolonging the execution and causing Black to suffer unnecessarily. Because most medical professionals are unwilling to participate in executions — considering it a violation of medical ethics — it could potentially be time consuming and difficult to find someone willing to deactivate the device in order to kill Black more easily. A hearing on the motion is set for July 14.
Daily Mirror
04-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Death row child killer says pacemaker will reactivate his heart during execution
Byron Black was convicted in the 1988 shooting deaths of girlfriend Angela Clay, 29, and her two daughters, Latoya, 9, and Lakeisha, 6. His execution is scheduled for August 18 Lawyers for a Tennessee death row inmate are making a final attempt to halt his impending execution. In Nashville's Chancery Court, they're pleading with a judge to order the Tennessee Department of Correction to switch off an implanted defibrillation device, similar to a pacemaker, just before Byron Black's execution. If the judge agrees, this could potentially postpone the execution until the state finds someone willing to carry out the deactivation. Simultaneously, at the state Supreme Court level, they're seeking an order for a lower court to consider their argument that Black is unfit to be executed. General challenge The lawyers have also lodged a general challenge against the state's new execution protocol, but with a trial set for 2026, any decision there will be too late for Black, reports the Mirror US. Black was found guilty in the 1988 shooting deaths of his girlfriend Angela Clay, 29, and her two daughters, Latoya, 9, and Lakeisha, 6. Prosecutors claimed Black was in a jealous fury when he shot the three at their home. At the time, Black was on work-release while serving a sentence for shooting and injuring Clay's estranged husband. Execution postponed Black has already had three execution dates postponed, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a pause on all executions from Gov. Bill Lee after it was discovered that the Department of Correction wasn't testing the execution drugs for potency and purity as required. Black's legal team has previously attempted, without success, to argue that his execution would be unconstitutional due to his intellectual disability. New bid In a fresh approach, they now contend that Black's competence for execution should be evaluated under older English common law standards. The state rebuts this, asserting that Black does not meet the criteria for incompetency as he comprehends his conviction, impending execution, and the connection between them. In a separate move, Black's lawyers are petitioning another court to decree that his implanted cardioverter-defibrillator must be switched off just prior to the execution. They propose that if left active, the device will repeatedly attempt to restart his heart, prolonging the execution and causing Black unnecessary suffering. Given that most medical professionals refuse to partake in executions - viewing it as a breach of medical ethics - it could potentially be a lengthy and challenging process to find someone willing to deactivate the device to facilitate Black's execution. A hearing on the motion is scheduled for 14 July.
San Francisco Chronicle
03-07-2025
- San Francisco Chronicle
Tennessee death row inmate makes last-ditch effort to prevent Aug. 5 execution
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Attorneys for a Tennessee death row inmate have launched a last-ditch effort to prevent his Aug. 5 execution. In Nashville's Chancery Court, they are asking a judge to require the Tennessee Department of Correction to deactivate an implanted defibrillation device similar to a pacemaker in the moments before Byron Black's execution. If the judge rules in their favor, such an order could potentially delay the execution until the state finds someone willing to do the deactivation. Meanwhile, at the state Supreme Court level, they want judges to order a lower court to consider their claim that Black is incompetent to be executed. The attorneys also have filed a general challenge to the state's new execution protocol, but with a trial scheduled for 2026, any ruling there will come too late for Black. Black was convicted in the 1988 shooting deaths of girlfriend Angela Clay, 29, and her two daughters, Latoya, 9, and Lakeisha, 6. Prosecutors said Black 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 and wounding Clay's estranged husband. Black has already seen three execution dates come and go, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and a pause on all executions from Gov. Bill Lee after the Department of Correction was found to not be testing the execution drugs for potency and purity as required. Black's attorneys have previously tried and failed to show that he should not be executed because he is intellectually disabled, and that would violate the state's Constitution. In a new twist on the same theme, his attorneys now argue that the court should consider Black's competence to be executed under older English common law standards. The state counters that Black does not meet the criteria for incompetency because he understands his conviction, his pending execution, and the relation between the two. Separately, Black's attorneys are asking a different court to rule that his implanted cardioverter-defibrillator must be deactivated just before the execution. They suggest that otherwise the device will continually try to restart his heart, prolonging the execution and causing Black to suffer unnecessarily. Because most medical professionals are unwilling to participate in executions — considering it a violation of medical ethics — it could potentially be time consuming and difficult to find someone willing to deactivate the device in order to kill Black more easily. A hearing on the motion is set for July 14.
Washington Post
03-07-2025
- Washington Post
Tennessee death row inmate makes last-ditch effort to prevent Aug. 5 execution
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Attorneys for a Tennessee death row inmate have launched a last-ditch effort to prevent his Aug. 5 execution . In Nashville's Chancery Court, they are asking a judge to require the Tennessee Department of Correction to deactivate an implanted defibrillation device similar to a pacemaker in the moments before Byron Black's execution. If the judge rules in their favor, such an order could potentially delay the execution until the state finds someone willing to do the deactivation.
Winnipeg Free Press
03-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Tennessee death row inmate makes last-ditch effort to prevent Aug. 5 execution
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Attorneys for a Tennessee death row inmate have launched a last-ditch effort to prevent his Aug. 5 execution. In Nashville's Chancery Court, they are asking a judge to require the Tennessee Department of Correction to deactivate an implanted defibrillation device similar to a pacemaker in the moments before Byron Black's execution. If the judge rules in their favor, such an order could potentially delay the execution until the state finds someone willing to do the deactivation. Meanwhile, at the state Supreme Court level, they want judges to order a lower court to consider their claim that Black is incompetent to be executed. The attorneys also have filed a general challenge to the state's new execution protocol, but with a trial scheduled for 2026, any ruling there will come too late for Black. Black was convicted in the 1988 shooting deaths of girlfriend Angela Clay, 29, and her two daughters, Latoya, 9, and Lakeisha, 6. Prosecutors said Black 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 and wounding Clay's estranged husband. Black has already seen three execution dates come and go, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and a pause on all executions from Gov. Bill Lee after the Department of Correction was found to not be testing the execution drugs for potency and purity as required. Black's attorneys have previously tried and failed to show that he should not be executed because he is intellectually disabled, and that would violate the state's Constitution. In a new twist on the same theme, his attorneys now argue that the court should consider Black's competence to be executed under older English common law standards. The state counters that Black does not meet the criteria for incompetency because he understands his conviction, his pending execution, and the relation between the two. Separately, Black's attorneys are asking a different court to rule that his implanted cardioverter-defibrillator must be deactivated just before the execution. They suggest that otherwise the device will continually try to restart his heart, prolonging the execution and causing Black to suffer unnecessarily. Because most medical professionals are unwilling to participate in executions — considering it a violation of medical ethics — it could potentially be time consuming and difficult to find someone willing to deactivate the device in order to kill Black more easily. A hearing on the motion is set for July 14.
