As of now, a 68-year-old death row inmate is scheduled to be executed on Tuesday, but the case of Byron Black is unusually complicated one and could take more twists and turns before then. The main issue involving Black, who murdered his girlfriend and her two young daughters in 1988, centers around his heart defibrillator, reports the Tennessean. The inmate's lawyers want it removed before he receives a lethal injection because they say it might complicate the procedure and result in a prolonged and painful death. Specifically, they say the device might keep shocking Black as his heart fails in an attempt to revive him. The state disagrees.
- On Thursday, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that the state did not have to deactivate the device, reports the AP. That may not be the last word, however, because Black's attorney's also have asked the US Supreme Court to weigh in.