Full Breakdown
Tennessee Schedules Execution of Anthony Darrell Hines for 1985 Murder of Catherine Jean Jenkins
8/14/2026, 10:39:43 PM
Scheduled Execution
Anthony Darrell Hines, 66, is slated for lethal injection at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville on Thursday, August 13. Hines was convicted of first-degree felony murder for the March 3, 1985 stabbing of Catherine Jean Jenkins, a maid at the Ce’Bon Motel in Kingston Springs. The execution is set to begin at 10 a.m. Central Daylight Time.
Background & Context
The execution follows the May 21, 2026 botched attempt to execute Tony Carruthers, when staff could not establish a required backup intravenous (IV) line and the procedure was halted. Hines’ attorneys cite his recent strokes (December 2025 and January 2026), which left him partially paralyzed and blind on his left side, as increasing the risk of similar IV-access problems.
Data & Statistics
- Age at execution: 66
- Time on death row: more than 40 years
- Medical history: two strokes in late 2025–early 2026, left-side paralysis, muscle atrophy, spasticity of the left arm
- Execution protocol: primary IV line placed; backup line required by Tennessee law; failure to obtain backup line caused the Carruthers abort
Official Statements & Responses
- TDOC Commissioner Frank Strada – confirmed that Hines was asked for a last statement and that his final words were, “Tell my son hello.”
Criticism & Opposition
- Kit Thomas, Hines’ attorney, warned that proceeding would be “a grotesque spectacle” given Hines’ health and unanswered questions about the execution physician.
- Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, called the request for information about the physician “a very reasonable request” that the state has refused to answer.
- Several medical professionals and faith leaders have urged Gov. Lee to pause executions pending an independent review of the Carruthers failure.
Verbatim Quotes
- “For those of you that may be concerned as to whether or not this animal [Hines] suffered, let me tell you what he did to my mother,” — Dennis, son of Catherine Jean Jenkins
- “Darrell Hines is a beloved child of God,” — Diana Gallaher, Hines’ spiritual adviser
- “All the lawyers want to know is, will there be a qualified physician on staff? That's a very reasonable request for them to make,” — Robin Maher
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Physician identity – Some filings name Dr. Mark Fowler as the physician who oversaw the Carruthers attempt; the Tennessee Department of Corrections has not confirmed whether he will participate in Hines’ execution.
- IV-access risk – Hines’ attorneys argue that his left-arm spasticity makes standard peripheral IV placement unlikely, while state officials maintain that IV lines were placed in each arm on the day of the scheduled execution.
Timeline (chronological)
- March 3, 1985 – Catherine Jean Jenkins is stabbed to death at the Ce’Bon Motel.
- 1986 – Hines is sentenced to death; resentencing occurs in 1989.
- May 21, 2026 – Execution of Tony Carruthers is halted after IV-access failure.
- July 17, 2026 – Court order seeks disclosure of the execution physician; later denied.
- August 13, 2026 – Hines’ execution is scheduled to proceed.
The scheduled execution proceeds amid ongoing legal challenges, medical-risk concerns, and public debate over Tennessee’s lethal-injection protocol.
