The Tennessee Department of Correction is opening its doors, albeit in a limited fashion, to members of the press willing to witness and convey the stark realities of the state's ultimate punishment. As state law demands a media presence during executions, the forthcoming sentence of death row inmate Byron Lewis Black is no exception. Slated to meet his end at 10:00 a.m. (CST) on August 5, the Tennessee Department of Correction is calling upon Tennessee's recognized news organizations to bear witness.
Only a select few will be privy to this somber event, with seven media witnesses and two alternates slated to be chosen by TDOC through an upcoming draw. The drawing for the unfortunate lottery is set for July 11 at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, as announced on the Tennessee Department of Correction website. News outlets are limited to a single application each — a rule that underscores the gravity and sensibility with which this process is treated.
For those media institutions with the stomach to document this grim duty, the application process is straightforward, if not seemingly bureaucratic. Interested parties are prompted to download and complete a form, found readily on the Tennessee Department of Correction's official website. This form should then be sent via email to the Department of Correction's communication team at [email protected] no later than the morning of July 10.
As part of its duty to inform the public, the Tennessee Department of Correction has provided detailed instructions to ensure transparency during the application process, though with an eye towards order rather than spectacle. Organizations seeking to fulfill this role in our judicial drama are reminded to keep a copy of their submission email — a confirmation of their imprint on a process that many spectate, but few truly witness.
