Christa Pike now walking after failed US execution, lawyer tells BBC

In a historic moment for the United States, Texas carried out its first execution of the year on Wednesday, following a botched lethal injection of Christa Pike. The condemned man, Jamaal Howard, 46, was pronounced dead at 8:03 pm at the Huntsville state prison after receiving a fatal dose of pentobarbital. Howard had been convicted of the 2000 murder of clerk Vickie Swartout during a convenience store robbery in Silsbee, Texas.

As the drug took effect, Howard reportedly gasped and took a few breaths, before making snoring sounds and coughing. Movement ceased within around 30 seconds, and he was pronounced dead 19 minutes later. Prior to the execution, Howard addressed some members of Swartout's family, apologizing and asking for forgiveness, stating that he was in a good state of mind to find peace and the Lord.

Howard's attorneys had unsuccessfully attempted to halt the execution by questioning the quality of Texas' execution drugs and arguing that Howard was intellectually disabled. The Texas court denied the requests without comment. The Supreme Court had previously barred the execution of intellectually disabled individuals but gave states some discretion in determining such disabilities.

The state argued that Howard's attorneys did not provide evidence meeting the requirements for claiming intellectual disability, and the Supreme Court declined to intervene, allowing the execution to proceed.

Since the beginning of the year, Texas has executed seven people, a significant increase from the previous years. Two more executions are scheduled for November – death row inmates John Rubio and Reinaldo Dennes.