Christa Pike returns to Tennessee prison after surviving execution attempt
publishers 118articles 297first reported 1 Oct, 10:15 UTCdeveloping since 1 Oct · 18 editions
Christa Pike has been released from a Nashville hospital and returned to the Deborah K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center after surviving Tennessee’s attempt to execute her by lethal injection, her lawyers said Saturday.
Pike, 50, received two doses of pentobarbital during the Sept. 30 execution attempt but remained alive and was taken to hospital in critical condition. Her lawyers said she later regained consciousness and began speaking, walking with assistance and eating a regular diet. They said her injured arms had begun recovering movement and strength, although attorney Stephen Ferrell said she remained mentally “foggy” and could have permanent damage.
Her legal team said Pike would continue receiving medical care in prison. Lawyers have asked Gov. Bill Lee to commute her death sentence to life without parole, but it remains unclear whether Tennessee could seek to execute her again.
Lee has paused executions in the state pending an independent review of what went wrong. A Tennessee court has also ordered correctional officials to preserve evidence from the failed execution, including IV lines, syringes, packaging, recordings and records concerning Pike’s condition.
Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, committed when Pike was 18. The Death Penalty Information Center says Pike is the only person known to have survived an execution attempt by lethal injection.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 7 with the publisher's own text; 7 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 230 h after the record first saw the story; the editor revised it.
- Publishers
- 118
- Source articles
- 297
- Given to the writer
- 8, 7 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 7
- This version written
- 230 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- revised
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and changed it before publication. Struck words were in the draft; underlined words are its corrections.
WHAT IT FLAGGED editor revise: Two details needed correction to match the sources on the scope of Tennessee's execution pause and the DPIC description of Pike's survival. - "Lee has suspended executions in the state pending an independent review of what went wrong.": The sources say Gov. Bill Lee paused executions for the rest of the year or pending an independent investigation/review, not that executions were suspended indefinitely statewide. - "The Death Penalty Information Center says Pike is the only person known to have survived after lethal-injection drugs were administered in a completed execution attempt.": The sources do not support calling it a completed execution attempt; they describe a botched/failed attempt and say she is the only person known to have survived an execution attempt by lethal injection or after lethal doses were administered.
THE DRAFT AND THE CHANGES
Christa Pike returns to Tennessee prison after surviving execution attempt
Christa Pike has been released from a Nashville hospital and returned to the Deborah K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center after surviving Tennessee’s attempt to execute her by lethal injection, her lawyers said Saturday.
Pike, 50, received two doses of pentobarbital during the Sept. 30 execution attempt but remained alive and was taken to hospital in critical condition. Her lawyers said she later regained consciousness and began speaking, walking with assistance and eating a regular diet. They said her injured arms had begun recovering movement and strength, although attorney Stephen Ferrell said she remained mentally “foggy” and could have permanent damage.
Her legal team said Pike would continue receiving medical care in prison. Lawyers have asked Gov. Bill Lee to commute her death sentence to life without parole, but it remains unclear whether Tennessee could seek to execute her again.
Lee has suspendedpaused executions in the state pending an independent review of what went wrong. A Tennessee court has also ordered correctional officials to preserve evidence from the failed execution, including IV lines, syringes, packaging, recordings and records concerning Pike’s condition.
Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, committed when Pike was 18. The Death Penalty Information Center says Pike is the only person known to have survived after lethal-injection drugs were administered in a completedan execution attempt.attempt by lethal injection.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →