Christa Pike, the sole woman on Tennessee’s death row, remains “critically ill,” unconscious and on a ventilator at a Nashville‑area hospital two days after a botched execution attempt, her attorneys said Friday.
Emergency motion seeks preservation of evidence
Attorneys Stephen Ferrell and Luke Ihnen of Federal Defender Services of Eastern Tennessee filed an emergency motion in Davidson County Chancery Court demanding that the Tennessee Department of Correction preserve all evidence related to the execution attempt. The motion details that Pike was heard crying, whimpering and breathing loudly while two lethal doses of pentobarbital were administered.
According to the filing, Pike complained that her arm “feels like it’s about to burst open.” At least seven needles were used to gain IV access, with one needle bent at a 90‑degree angle when removed. The motion describes pentobarbital as “caustic and highly alkaline” that “burns upon contact,” noting that both of Pike’s arms were swollen, burned and blistered when she arrived at the hospital.
Hospital staff work to clear drug from system
Hospital staff are working to save Ms. Pike’s life and to clear the pentobarbital from her system, the motion states. Pike had previously raised concerns about a lethal injection, citing her thrombocytosis, post‑traumatic stress disorder and small veins as factors that made a painful, torturous execution likely.
“The filing details the serious complications that occurred during the execution attempt, many of which Christa and her attorneys warned the State and the courts about months earlier,” the attorneys said. “Preserving this evidence is essential to understanding what happened, ensuring accountability and protecting Christa’s legal rights.”
Governor orders review and temporary halt
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee ordered a third‑party review and a temporary halt to scheduled executions. “So far as we know, the Department of Correction followed exactly the protocol as outlined,” Lee told reporters, adding that the state needs to know why the outcome differed this time.
Lee said, “There is no one that wanted what happened last night to happen. It shouldn’t have happened. The people of our state deserve to have those questions answered, and that’s what this investigation is for.” He also confirmed that the remaining scheduled execution will not be carried out this year.
Political reactions
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R‑Tenn., who is running for governor, called on the state to bring back the electric chair in response to the botched attempt. Attorney Randy Spivey of the Tennessee Office of the Post‑Conviction Defender described the execution as “cruel” and “torturous,” noting that Pike repeatedly asked staff to adjust IV placement to avoid further injury.
Witnesses, including ABC Nashville reporter Tori Gessner, reported hearing Pike breathing and snoring loudly after the drugs were administered, even after the curtains were closed on the execution chamber.
Legal background
Pike, 50, was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of 19‑year‑old Colleen Slemmer. The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6‑3 decision, allowed the execution to proceed after lifting a lower‑court stay. The three liberal justices dissented, arguing that the Court’s action short‑circuited the normal appellate process and risked an erroneous execution.
Earlier, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals had issued a stay to review Pike’s claims of childhood sexual abuse and the potential impact on her mental health during execution. The stay was lifted only after the Supreme Court’s intervention.
Next steps
The governor‑ordered review will examine why the lethal injection protocol failed and whether the Department of Correction complied with constitutional standards for humane execution. The emergency motion filed by Pike’s attorneys seeks to ensure that all medical and procedural evidence is retained for that investigation.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
