Tony Carruthers, a 57-year-old death row inmate in Tennessee, avoided execution on Thursday when officials were unable to find a vein for the lethal injection. Governor Bill Lee granted a one-year stay, allowing Carruthers to continue legal challenges against his conviction for the 1994 murders of Marcellos Anderson, his mother Delois Anderson, and Frederick Tucker. Carruthers' case has raised significant concerns regarding the evidence used for his conviction, primarily based on witness testimonies, including that of a police informant who was compensated for his statements. Notably, a medical examiner's graphic testimony that the victims were buried alive was later withdrawn and contradicted by other experts. Carruthers' mental health has been a focal point in his defense, with his attorneys arguing that his paranoia and delusions hinder his ability to work with legal counsel. The Tennessee Supreme Court has previously ruled that Carruthers' behavior during the trial was self-destructive. This execution would have marked the first time in over a century that an inmate forced to represent himself was executed. Tennessee resumed executions last year after a three-year hiatus due to issues with the testing of lethal injection drugs, revealing that none of the drugs used since 2018 had undergone proper testing.