The Tennessee Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a lower court’s order that would have let media witnesses view more parts of state-run executions.
The high court’s ruling Wednesday comes ahead of a May 21 scheduled execution and it will remain in effect during an ongoing appeal.
The expanded access had not yet been in place for an execution. A January ruling favored a coalition of news organizations including The A P that sued on claims that state execution protocols unconstitutionally limit thorough and accurate reporting.
The judge had ordered curtains to the official witness room opened for more time, including during IV insertion and the pronouncement of death, but with PPE equipment to conceal execution team members’ identities.
