Tennessee execution fails after two lethal injections, inmate hospitalized
publishers 22articles 23first reported 1 Oct, 02:22 UTCdeveloping since 1 Oct · 2 editions
Christa Pike remained alive and was taken to an off-site medical facility after Tennessee tried to execute her Wednesday with two injections of lethal drugs, according to her attorneys and the state Department of Correction.
Pike’s lawyers said witnesses saw executioners administer both syringes of lethal-injection chemicals, but Pike remained conscious and retained a heartbeat. Journalists who witnessed the execution reported that she snored, complained of pain and repeatedly kicked her feet, at one point knocking off sheets covering her. Curtains to the death chamber were closed twice during the attempt.
An ambulance was seen arriving at and later leaving the prison. Pike’s attorneys said early Thursday that she was being treated at a hospital but did not know her condition. Gov. Bill Lee said Thursday morning that he also did not know her current condition.
Lee ordered a comprehensive third-party review to determine what happened and said Tennessee’s final scheduled execution of the year would not proceed as planned. He said that, as far as he knew, the state’s execution protocol had been followed.
Pike, 50, is Tennessee’s only woman on death row. She was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer, 19, when Pike was 18. The U.S. Supreme Court denied Pike’s request to halt the execution Tuesday, after Lee declined to grant clemency.
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- Source articles
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- Independent newsrooms
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- This version written
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