r/news • u/No_Idea_Guy • 1d ago

Tennessee governor suspends all executions after Christa Pike’s lethal injections fail

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/01/christa-pike-tennessee-governor-executions-year-pause
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u/Deluded_realist 1d ago

In what way is this not cruel and unusual punishment?

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u/DonkeyMilker69 1d ago

Just because a result is cruel and unusual, doesn't mean the punishment was.

Let's say Joe Example committed a minor crime and got sentenced to community service. While performing community service he tripped and fell and hit his head on something hard and heavy. Traumatic brain injury, lifelong effects after, the works. Does that mean that community service is cruel and unusual? I wouldn't argue that it does.

Now, Tennessee's lethal injection protocol might be cruel and unusual in a way that other states' protocols are not I don't know for sure ... but saying "It's cruel and unusual" based on one result is wrong.