Who is paying for Christa Pike’s medical care? What we know as Tennessee inmate remains hospitalized with pneumonia, blood cot, swelling in arms

On Wednesday evening, Texas carried out its first execution in the United States since Christa Pike's controversial lethal injection attempt last week. Jamaal Howard, a 46-year-old death row inmate, was injected with pentobarbital at the Huntsville state prison and pronounced dead at 20:03 local time. Howard was convicted in 2000 for robbing a convenience store clerk, Vickie Swartout, during which he stole cigarettes and $114.

His lawyers had requested a temporary halt to the execution due to concerns about the potential risks of using the same drug that killed Pike. However, the courts denied their pleas, and the US Supreme Court also declined to intervene. Howard's attorneys argued that Texas's supply of the drug had become compromised, citing Pike's lawyers' similar claims.

Despite Howard's attorneys asking Texas Governor Greg Abbott to delay the execution by 30 days for further investigation into the drug, the governor refused to grant the delay. In his final statement, Howard apologized to Swartout's family, expressing regret for his actions and hoping for forgiveness.