Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has launched an independent, third-party review of a lethal injection testing oversight that resulted in a temporary reprieve for death row inmate Oscar Franklin Smith. Butler Snow attorney and Commercial Litigation Practice Group Leader Edward L. Stanton, III will lead the investigation and conduct a review of the following:
- Circumstances that led to testing the lethal injection chemicals for only potency and sterility but not endotoxins preparing for the April 21 execution
- Clarity of the lethal injection process manual that was last updated in 2018, and adherence to testing policies since the update
- TDOC staffing considerations
Stanton served as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee from 2010 – 2017 where he oversaw the investigation and litigation of major criminal and civil cases that focused on violent crime, financial and health care fraud, racketeering, international drug trafficking, terrorism, child exploitation and cybercrime. Prior to his presidential appointment, he was senior counsel for FedEx and previously served as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Memphis.
At Butler Snow, Stanton’s practice with the White Collar, Compliance and Government Investigations Team primarily includes conducting internal investigations, defending white-collar cases and advising corporate clients on a variety of C-suite issues. He has extensive civil and criminal litigation and courtroom experience in both trial and appellate courts, including serving as lead counsel in independent investigations for multiple Fortune 500 companies concerning violations of corporate policies by senior officers.
Currently, Stanton serves as the Court-Appointed Monitor in the case of ACLU v. City of Memphis stemming from the Memphis Police Department’s violations of a federal consent decree. He has also served as lead counsel in independent investigations for one of the nation’s largest public school systems concerning athletic compliance issues, allegations of systematic grade changing scheme, fiscal improprieties and employment-related claims.
Attorneys in Butler Snow’s White Collar, Compliance and Government Investigations team handle all types of government (federal and state) investigations, government audits and civil fraud cases. The group includes numerous former federal prosecutors, including two former U.S. Attorneys, Jim Letten and Edward L. Stanton III, as well as Amanda Barbour, a former state prosecutor. Together, our team has more than 100 years of Department of Justice experience, plus state prosecutorial proficiency.
