How Tennessee’s 1st female execution in 200 yrs failed

On Wednesday evening, Christa Pike, a 50-year-old woman from Tennessee, was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection. However, the procedure failed as she continued to breathe after the first dose of the drug pentobarbital. Pike, who was 18 when she committed the murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in 1995, remained conscious and responsive throughout the two-hour ordeal.

As she lay strapped to the gurney, she made snoring sounds, talked, and even expressed that her arm was hurting. Despite these signs of life, officials moved forward with the execution protocol. Pike's spiritual adviser joined her, singing and stroking her forehead. After an hour of what sounded like snoring, Pike's head lifted and turned to the side, indicating she was still alive.

Prison officials closed the curtain again, and an hour later, Pike was pronounced dead. However, she was taken to a hospital in critical condition. The failure of the execution has sparked a review by the Tennessee Department of Correction and Governor Bill Lee, who called the incident deeply disturbing.