US Death Row Inmate Christa Pike Conscious and Speaking After Failed Execution Attempt, Lawyers Say
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US death row inmate Christa Pike, 50, "is conscious and speaking" after surviving a failed execution attempt in Tennessee last week, her lawyers announce.
Pike, convicted of murdering Colleen Slemmer in 1995, received two doses of pentobarbital but survived. She is now in hospital, receiving critical care while handcuffed, according to a statement from her attorneys on Tuesday.
Her lawyers describe her recovery as "medically unprecedented," and predict a "long recovery" at minimum. They emphasize that she is the only person known to have survived a completed execution attempt in the US.
Authorities have not indicated whether they will try again to execute Pike, nor explained what caused the failure. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has suspended all executions for the rest of the year, and the state prisons head plans to resign.
Pike's lawyers blame a possible explanation on the administration of the pentobarbital, suggesting it may have spread across her skin tissue instead of entering her bloodstream. They also highlight her medical history and anatomy as factors increasing the risk of pain and suffering during any lethal injection.
This developing story will be updated.