US death row inmate survives execution attempt after two lethal injections

Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike survived an execution attempt after two lethal injections failed, according to her lawyer. The 50-year-old was taken to the hospital after losing consciousness during the procedure, still showing signs of life such as a heartbeat and audible snoring. Pike's legal team filed an emergency motion to halt her execution, stating that she was "being provided life-saving measures" after the administration of two syringes of pentobarbital.

Pike was convicted in 1996 for the murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, a crime committed when Pike was just 18 years old. Her execution came after a last-minute legal battle, ultimately allowed by the US Supreme Court. Slemmer's family, including her mother May Martinez, was present during the attempted execution and expressed dissatisfaction with the events.

Pike was administered the drug pentobarbital twice, and the witness room's curtain was closed twice, but she remained alive after the second set of injections. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced a comprehensive third-party review to determine what transpired during the execution.