2 Tenn. officials fired after lethal injection errors noted

By JONATHAN MATTISE
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Department of Correction has fired its top attorney and another employee following a scathing independent report on failures within the state’s lethal injection system. Documents obtained by the AP through a public records request show deputy commissioner and general counsel Debbie Inglis and inspector general Kelly Young received the firing notices on Dec. 27. They occurred a day before the Republican governor’s office released a report documenting lethal injection issues, including widespread failures to conduct required testing on the deadly drugs. Tennessee is still mulling changes to its execution procedures. The issue surfaced at Oscar Smith’s execution, which was called off in April after a testing omission became apparent.