What we know about Tennessee's botched execution of Christa Pike
Tennessee officials failed to carry out the lethal injection of death row inmate Christa Pike on Wednesday. Her attorneys say she is alive and in critical condition after being given two separate doses of pentobarbital meant to kill her. Pike was sentenced to death for the gruesome murder of her classmate in 1995. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Deborah Denno, a professor at Fordham School of Law.
Christa Pike, 50, is in critical condition following Tennessee's failed execution attempt on Wednesday. The execution, originally scheduled for 10 a.m., was delayed for eight hours after a court ruling temporarily halted the process. Legal experts are calling Pike's case "singular and unparalleled," as she is the only person to survive an execution attempt.
Pike was strapped to a gurney in the death chamber and administered two doses of pentobarbital before losing consciousness. Her attorneys have called for the governor to commute her sentence, citing her medical conditions, which they claim would make the execution process agonizing. Pike was convicted of killing 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in 1995.
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- What to know about Christa Pike and her failed lethal injection execution attempt in Tennessee toronto.citynews.ca
- What we know about Tennessee's botched execution of Christa Pike pbs.org
- Tennessee fails to execute Christa Pike after 2 lethal injections: What happens next as per Tennessee law? livemint.com
- Christa Pike's attorneys: Botched execution was "torturous" and "predictable" cbsnews.com