Key facts
- Christa Pike, sentenced for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer, is awake and speaking after a botched execution.
- Pike received two doses of lethal injection drugs before being hospitalized.
- Her attorneys believe she has a strong argument for double jeopardy if the state seeks to execute her again.
- A judge has ordered Tennessee to preserve all evidence related to the execution attempt.
Christa Pike, who was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of her 19-year-old classmate Colleen Slemmer, is awake and speaking after a botched execution attempt last week. Pike was scheduled to become the first woman put to death in Tennessee in over 200 years, but was rushed to hospital after receiving two doses of lethal injection drugs and has been receiving critical medical care.
Her attorneys stated that Pike is conscious and speaking, describing her recovery as "medically unprecedented." They previously said she was unconscious and on a ventilator. The announcement marks the first indication of her improved condition since the incident.
This is the second execution in Tennessee this year to be halted, following the case of Tony Carruthers in May. In response to the botched execution, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee halted all remaining executions for the year and ordered an independent review by former US Attorney Ed Stanton. Prisons boss Frank Strada resigned, stating it was in the "best interest of Tennesseans" for him to step down during the review.
Legal experts have suggested that if Pike survives and is found mentally competent, the state could attempt to execute her again, citing a 1947 Supreme Court ruling. However, Professor Deborah Denno of Fordham School of Law believes Pike may have a strong argument for double jeopardy. Pike's attorneys are calling for her sentence to be commuted, arguing she has already endured significant punishment.