Tennessee Prepares for Unprecedented Execution with Inmate's Defibrillator

On August 5th, 2025, Tennessee is preparing to carry out an execution that could mark a historic first. Experts say the state is set to put to death an inmate, Byron Black, who has a working defibrillator implanted in his chest. This would likely be the first time a person has been executed while having such a medical device.

Black, 69, is in a wheelchair and has a range of health issues, including dementia, brain damage, kidney failure, and congestive heart failure. His attorneys have argued that the lethal injection could trigger his defibrillator, potentially causing him unnecessary pain and prolonging the execution. However, the state has disputed this claim, stating that even if the defibrillator is activated, Black would not feel the shocks.

The legal battle over Black's execution has also highlighted the ethical concerns surrounding the participation of medical professionals in capital punishment. Most in the medical field consider such involvement a violation of their ethical principles.

Black was convicted in 1988 for the shooting deaths of his girlfriend Angela Clay and her two young daughters. The victims' family has expressed a lack of sympathy, with one relative stating, "He didn't have mercy on them, so why should we have mercy on him?"

Despite the ongoing uncertainty and concerns, Tennessee's governor has declined to grant a reprieve, clearing the way for Black's execution to proceed on August 5th, 2025.