"It hurts so much!": US executes prisoner who had a defibrillator

Byron Black was pronounced dead at 10:43 a.m. on Tuesday, August 5, at Riverbend Maximum Security Penitentiary in Nashville. The execution was carried out using a pentobarbital injection after his legal team repeatedly attempted to halt the process, arguing that he suffered from intellectual disability, dementia, and other serious medical conditions.

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A key argument presented by the defense was the danger that the cardioverter defibrillator implanted in Black's chest could be activated by electric shocks when the lethal drug was administered. Despite a judge's order to deactivate it, the state Supreme Court overturned that decision.

Witnesses indicated that Black showed signs of distress during the execution. He raised his head and told his spiritual advisor, "It hurts like hell," raising questions about the sedative's effectiveness and the possible activation of the defibrillator. Prison authorities did not respond to this question.

Black was convicted of killing his 29-year-old girlfriend , Angela Clay, and her daughters, Latoya, 9, and Lakeisha, 6, in 1988, when Black shot them in a fit of jealousy. At the time, he was on parole for having previously shot Clay's husband.

The execution of the victim further fueled the suffering of the victims' families. "I can't say I'm sorry because we never received an apology," said Linette Bell, Angela Clay's sister.

The defense argued that Black had an intellectual disability and requested a hearing under a state law enacted in 2021. However, the request was denied because the case had already been heard. Although the Nashville District Attorney supported the defense's request, the court denied it.

Kelley Henry, the attorney, described the execution as “a disgrace” and said Tennessee “killed a frail, incapacitated man simply because he had the ability to do so.”

Byron Black's execution marks the second in Tennessee since May, following a five-year hiatus caused by the pandemic and administrative issues. So far in 2025, 28 executions have been carried out in the United States, surpassing the 25 from the previous year and reaching the highest number since 2015.

Henry said his group will analyze the autopsy, defibrillator data, and the electrocardiogram to clarify what happened . Concerns about Black's suffering could lead to a new legal chapter regarding execution techniques in the United States.