Tennessee's execution of Christa Pike failed as she survived two lethal injections, with medical staff reporting she was conscious and snoring during the procedure. The state's execution protocol was followed, but the attempt ended in a botched execution.
Pike, 50, was given two doses of pentobarbital as part of the state's protocol, with witnesses confirming she was alive and snoring during the process. Her legal team filed an emergency motion to halt the execution, citing issues with vein access and medical care during the procedure.
The execution attempt marks the second failed execution in Tennessee this year, with the state delaying the remaining execution for Gary Wayne Sutton. The incident highlights concerns over the secrecy and reliability of the state's execution protocol.
Tennessee's attorney general's office and the Department of Correction have not provided a new timeline for the execution, with Pike's lawyers alleging systemic failures in the execution process, including degraded drugs and lack of emergency medical care.