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Christa Pike, the Tennessee woman who survived a failed execution attempt on Wednesday (September 30), is in critical condition at a Nashville hospital, unconscious and receiving breathing assistance through a ventilator, according to a statement from her lawyers on Friday. They said, "Christa remains critically ill and is receiving medical care for the devastating effects of Wednesday night’s events. She is critically ill, unconscious, intubated and receiving breathing assistance through a ventilator."
Pike, 50, was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer and was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville. According to multiple witnesses, the execution procedure was stopped after two doses of lethal injection drugs failed to end her life, and Pike remained alive and conscious for an extended period. Journalists present reported that Pike was "still alive and snoring" more than an hour into the process, and she spoke about pain and discomfort while strapped to the gurney. Her lawyers filed an emergency motion to stop the execution, citing "unnecessary agony," but the blinds in the execution chamber were closed as officials worked to manage the situation.
The Tennessee Department of Correction said it followed all steps of the state’s lawful and established execution protocol, noting that the drugs used have "consistently been effective" in the past. However, Pike’s attorneys argued that the state’s execution method caused unnecessary suffering, pointing to issues such as "difficult vein access, blown veins, degraded pentobarbital, [and] no emergency medical care available when things inevitably go wrong."
Governor Bill Lee called the failed execution "deeply concerning" and ordered a comprehensive, third-party review of what went wrong. He also postponed all other scheduled executions for this year, including that of Gary Wayne Sutton, who was set to be executed on December 3. "Carrying out a lawfully imposed sentence is among the State's most serious responsibilities, and the people of Tennessee expect it to be done in a manner that is not only legal and constitutional, but is effective," Lee said in a statement.
Concerns about Tennessee’s lethal injection protocol had already been raised earlier this year after a similarly problematic execution attempt involving Tony Carruthers, during which medical staff struggled to find suitable veins for over an hour, leaving him in pain and distress.
Attorneys for death row inmates are currently calling for a moratorium on executions and a full review of the state's procedures.
The outcome of the investigation ordered by Governor Lee may determine if and how Tennessee proceeds with future executions. For now, Christa Pike remains hospitalized in critical condition, with her legal team and the public awaiting answers about what went wrong during the attempted execution.