News Coalition Sues Tennessee for Full Execution Access Citing First Amendment

A coalition of news organizations, including The Associated Press and Gannett, has filed a lawsuit against Tennessee Department of Correction officials challenging protocols that restrict media access to executions. The current procedures limit journalists to viewing only after the condemned inmate is strapped to the gurney, excluding critical moments such as preparation of lethal drugs and the administration of injections. The lawsuit argues that these restrictions violate state law, the Tennessee Constitution, and the First Amendment by denying the public and press the right to witness the entirety of executions. The plaintiffs seek a court order declaring the protocols unconstitutional and an injunction to allow full media access from the inmate's entry into the execution chamber until the official pronouncement of death. The case highlights concerns over transparency and the public's right to independent observation of capital punishment proceedings. Tennessee officials have yet to respond substantively to the complaint, with the Attorney General's Office reviewing the case.