Death row fails: A few planned executions that didn’t go to plan

FILE – This photo shows the gurney in the execution chamber at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, Okla., on Oct. 9, 2014.

HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT) – To put to death or not to put to death? After a criminal has been found guilty of a crime that might warrant the death penalty, it goes to a jury to decide.

If a jury approves, that person goes onto that state’s death row, slated to be executed. However, when that will happen is anyone’s guess. Some take years or even decades before a date gets set. The issue doesn’t stop there. Even if a person gets to his/her execution date, throughout history, there’s no guarantee the process will go smoothly or worse, fail.

23 states have abolished the death penalty while 23 others still have it on its books. 4 states still have the death penalty in law but have active holds on executions, including California, Ohio, Oregon and Pennsylvania. Kentucky also still has the death penalty on its books but has a court ordered stay issued in place since 2009. Critics argue it is inhumane, lacks deterrent effect, high costs and is irreversible. Supporters argue it represents a just retribution for certain crimes, does deter future crime, protects society and preserves moral order.

With the recent events of Christa Pike’s failed execution in Tennessee, here are some other scheduled executions that have failed, according to deathpenaltyinfo.org.

Doyle Lee Hamm – February 22, 2018 (Alabama)

Alan Eugene Miller – September 22, 2022 (Alabama)

Kenneth Eugene Smith – November 17, 2022 (Alabama)

Thomas Creech – February 28, 2024 (Idaho)

Tony Carruthers – May 21, 2026 (Tennessee)

Christia Pike – September 30, 2026 (Tennessee)