The same doctor was involved in two Tennessee execution attempts that did not reach their intended outcome this year, intensifying scrutiny of the state's lethal injection system after Christa Pike remained alive following Wednesday night's procedure.
Dr Mark Fowler was involved in the May attempt to execute Tony Carruthers and was identified in court proceedings as having a medical role in Pike's procedure on Wednesday, 30 September. The circumstances were different: Carruthers never received the execution drug after problems establishing the additional intravenous access required by Tennessee's protocol, while Pike received pentobarbital but survived.
