{
  "id": 11644946,
  "title": "Botched US execution leaves murderer unconscious on ventilator: Lawyers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/botched-us-execution-leaves-murderer-unconscious-on-ventilator-lawyers-11644946",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-03T09:04:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Jakarta Post",
    "slug": "the-jakarta-post",
    "url": "https://www.thejakartapost.com/world/2026/10/03/botched-us-execution-leaves-murderer-unconscious-on-ventilator-lawyers.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "United States murderer Christa Pike remained awake and was heard snoring after being injected with lethal doses of pentobarbital during a botched execution attempt in Tennessee, leading to her being placed on a ventilator, according to her lawyers. Pike, 50, was convicted of murdering Colleen Slemmer in 1995 and remains unconscious and critically ill in a Nashville-area hospital. Her legal team argues she should be granted clemency due to her young age, mental health issues, and history of childhood sexual assault and post-traumatic stress disorder. The Tennessee Department of Corrections maintains that they followed proper execution protocols, but the state's governor has halted further executions while conducting a review. This execution is unprecedented and marks the worst case of a botched execution in recent history, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.",
  "summary": "Christa Pike, who was injected two deadly doses of the highly toxic drug pentobarbital for a murder in 1995, remained awake longer than expected and was later heard \"loudly snoring\" before an ambulance rushed her to a nearby hospital.",
  "key_points": [
    "Christa Pike remained awake after lethal injection, snoring",
    "Pike, 50, convicted of 1995 murder, unconscious on ventilator",
    "Tennessee execution halted for review amid unprecedented botched case"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "Botched US execution leaves murderer unconscious on ventilator: lawyers",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/botched-us-execution-leaves-murderer-unconscious-on-ventilator-lawyers",
        "published": "2026-10-03T07:05:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}