Christa Pike Remains Unconscious After Botched Tennessee Execution
Four days after a failed lethal injection, Christa Pike is still on a ventilator in a guarded hospital, while officials and her lawyers await updates on her condition and the state's execution protocols.
Christa Pike, 50, has remained unconscious and on a ventilator for four days following a failed lethal injection in Tennessee, according to her attorney, Assistant Federal Defender Stephen Ferrell, who told CNN's "State of the Union" that he is not aware of her regaining consciousness. The state administered two doses of pentobarbital on Wednesday night, but the drug did not cause death; Pike's lawyers say the chemicals caused burns and blisters on her arms.
Pike, who was convicted of the 1995 murder of classmate Colleen Slemmer, gave a medical power of attorney to an unnamed individual who is currently handling her medical decisions, Ferrell said. The defense team has not disclosed the identity of that person and indicated that it may take several more days to determine whether Pike can recover.
"We don't know right now, and we may never know what sort of torture she endured during that process, where her consciousness was, what physical pain there was — what mental torture she went through," Ferrell added. A spokesperson for the defense team asked the public to respect Pike's privacy.
The execution was delayed for more than eight hours while the U.S. Supreme Court considered a request to halt the lethal injection, ultimately allowing it to proceed. Pike's attorneys have asked a court to preserve any records, communications, images or video from the execution, arguing that the state should be more transparent about its capital punishment procedures.
Governor Bill Lee has ordered an independent investigation into Tennessee's execution system, and the Tennessee Department of Correction commissioner, Frank Strada, announced his resignation following the incident. Pike's lawyers have also petitioned the governor to commute her sentence to life imprisonment, noting concerns about her potential recovery and competence.
The case follows a previous botched execution in May, when Tennessee halted the execution of inmate Tony Carruthers after staff could not establish a secondary IV line.