Tennessee Supreme Court Blocks Expanded Media Access to Executions

Ruling restores previous process ahead of upcoming execution, despite media groups' lawsuit seeking greater transparency.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 1:37pm

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A cinematic painting of a solitary gurney in a shadowy, dimly lit execution chamber, with warm diagonal sunlight casting deep shadows across the scene, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation and unease around the state's capital punishment procedures.The Tennessee Supreme Court's decision to limit media access to executions raises concerns about transparency and public oversight of the state's capital punishment process.Today in Nashville

The Tennessee Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a lower court's order that would have allowed media witnesses to view more parts of state-run executions, including the inmate being secured to the gurney and the IV insertion process. The ruling reinstates the previous execution protocol, which limits media access to only certain segments of the process.

Why it matters

This decision is a setback for media organizations that have argued they have a constitutional and statutory right to observe executions in their entirety. The expanded access ordered by the lower court judge was intended to provide the public with more information about upcoming scheduled executions, but the state argued it risked exposing the identities of execution team members.

The details

In January, a Nashville judge issued a temporary injunction in favor of a coalition of news organizations, including The Associated Press, that had sued over claims the state's execution protocols unconstitutionally limit thorough and accurate reporting. The judge had ordered that the curtains to the official witness room be opened earlier, allowing media to observe the inmate being secured to the gurney and the IV insertion process. The state appealed the ruling, arguing the media plaintiffs don't have a First Amendment right to watch executions beyond the current protocol.

  • The Tennessee Supreme Court issued its temporary block on Wednesday, April 9, 2026.
  • The ruling will remain in place during the state's ongoing appeal.
  • The next scheduled execution in Tennessee is set for May 21, 2026.

The players

Tennessee Supreme Court

The state's highest court that issued the temporary block on the lower court's order expanding media access to executions.

Tony Carruthers

The inmate scheduled to be executed on May 21, 2026, whose execution will be subject to the previous, more limited media access protocol.

Coalition of News Organizations

A group of media outlets, including The Associated Press, Gannett Co., Inc., Nashville Public Media, Inc., Nashville Public Radio, Scripps Media, Inc., Six Rivers Media, LLC, and TEGNA INC., that sued the state over the execution access protocols.

Tennessee Attorney General's Office

The state agency that argued to block the new rules during the appeal, contending the media plaintiffs don't have a First Amendment right to watch executions beyond the current protocol.

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What they’re saying

“While arguing to block the new rules during its appeal, the state attorney general's office has said the media plaintiffs don't have a right under the First Amendment to watch executions, let alone to see the additional segments ordered viewable by the trial court judge.”

— Tennessee Attorney General's Office

“In response, attorneys for the media organizations contended that blocking the expanded access would deprive the public of valuable information about upcoming scheduled executions. They have said they have a constitutional and statutory right to observe executions in their entirety and that wearing PPE would shield the execution team's identities.”

— Attorneys for Media Coalition

What’s next

The Tennessee Supreme Court's temporary block will remain in place during the state's ongoing appeal of the lower court's order expanding media access to executions.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tension between the media's claims of a constitutional right to witness executions in full and the state's concerns about protecting the identities of execution team members. The outcome could set an important precedent for media access to sensitive government proceedings.