Christa Pike Awake And Speaking After Surviving Failed Tennessee Execution

Christa Pike, a Tennessee death-row inmate who survived a failed execution last week, is now conscious and speaking while receiving treatment at a hospital in Nashville, her attorneys have confirmed.

Pike, 50, survived two doses of pentobarbital during the September 30 execution attempt at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution after the lethal injection failed to kill her.

Her lawyers said Tuesday that Pike remains in critical care and has suffered severe injuries to both arms. They said her prognosis remains uncertain and that she is expected to face a lengthy recovery.

How The Execution Unfolded

Pike was strapped to a gurney inside the execution chamber shortly after 7:20 p.m. on September 30, according to an Associated Press account based on observations from witnesses.

Before the procedure began, Pike was allowed to make a final statement. She told witnesses she was at peace and said she was leaving the world with love.

Her spiritual adviser stood beside her as the execution process began.

Pike initially remained conscious. During the procedure, she raised her head and complained that her arm was hurting. Witnesses also heard her question whether the pain she was experiencing was normal.

At about 7:37 p.m., the execution process continued as the pentobarbital was administered.

Several minutes later, at approximately 7:46 p.m., the curtain separating the execution chamber from witnesses was closed.

The curtain was reopened shortly afterward. Tennessee’s execution protocol provided for a second dose of pentobarbital if the prisoner remained alive following the first dose.

A second dose was subsequently administered.

However, Pike did not die.

Witnesses later heard sounds resembling snoring coming from the execution chamber. The sounds continued for more than an hour, indicating that Pike remained alive long after the lethal injection was expected to have taken effect.

The execution was eventually halted, and Pike was removed from the prison by ambulance and taken to a hospital rather than being transported away after death.

Attorneys Raise Questions Over IV Lines

Pike’s attorneys have argued that problems with intravenous access contributed to the failed execution.

In a court filing, her legal team alleged that the execution team did not realize that the IV lines had been improperly placed or that some of the pentobarbital was entering tissue rather than properly entering the bloodstream.

Her lawyers said the failed procedure caused significant injuries to both arms.

The Tennessee Department of Correction, however, said after the execution that officials followed every step of the state’s established execution protocol.

The state has not publicly provided a detailed explanation for why the two doses failed to result in Pike’s death.

Pike Later Became Unconscious

After being taken to hospital, Pike was initially reported to be in critical condition, unconscious and receiving assistance from a ventilator.

Her attorneys said she was being treated for the effects of the pentobarbital and the serious injuries to her arms.

For several days, there was no indication that she had regained consciousness.

That changed on Tuesday.

Pike’s attorneys announced that she was now conscious and communicating.

“Her recovery is medically unprecedented,” her legal team said, while warning that her prognosis remains unclear and that she faces a long recovery.

The attorneys also said Pike remains handcuffed and shackled to her hospital bed while receiving treatment.

Independent Review Ordered

The failed execution has prompted an official review of Tennessee’s execution procedures.

Gov. Bill Lee ordered an independent investigation into what happened during the attempt, while the state’s Department of Correction has maintained that the established protocol was followed.

Pike’s attorneys are also seeking preservation of records and other evidence connected to the execution as they investigate what went wrong.

The case has attracted significant attention because Pike is believed to be the first person in the United States known to have survived after execution drugs were administered.

For now, Pike remains hospitalized as doctors continue treating her injuries, while her legal team prepares for further court proceedings surrounding the failed execution.

Sources: Reuters

Culled by ED O. Mike