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US death row inmate Christa Pike regains consciousness after surviving lethal injection
En breve
Christa Pike, 50, regained consciousness and was able to speak on Oct 6, one week after surviving a lethal injection at a Nashville, Tennessee prison, her lawyers said. Tennessee's correction department said it could not provide information beyond that she is hospitalised. Governor Bill Lee ordered an outside investigation and suspended further executions scheduled this year.
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Christa Pike, 50, regained consciousness and was able to speak on Oct 6, one week after surviving a lethal injection at a prison in Nashville, Tennessee, her lawyers said in a statement. Pike was administered the execution drug on Sept 30 but survived and was taken to hospital, according to the lawyers' account reported by Yonhap and Maeil Business. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The lawyers said Pike is still being treated as a critical patient, that she has severe injuries to both arms, and that she remains restrained to her bed with handcuffs and shackles. They described her recovery as medically unprecedented, saying the prognosis is uncertain but that her recovery is expected to be lengthy at minimum, and thanked the paramedics and hospital staff for the care she received. [ 1 , 2 ]
The Tennessee Department of Correction spokesperson said no information beyond the fact that Pike is hospitalised could be provided. Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 killing of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, committed with her boyfriend when she was 18, and had served about 30 years before being scheduled for execution. [ 1 , 2 ]
Yonhap reported that Governor Bill Lee ordered a comprehensive third-party investigation into the situation and said he would suspend further executions scheduled this year, and that Frank Strada, the state corrections commissioner responsible for executions, announced his resignation. No other document reports these steps. [ 1 ]
Yonhap also reported that the drug administered was pentobarbital, which was officially adopted for federal executions during the first Trump administration. It said the Biden administration suspended federal executions entirely, and abolished the use of the drug for executions in January 2025, citing possible unnecessary pain and suffering, before the second Trump administration re-approved its use for federal executions in April. [ 1 ]
Por qué importa
The survival of an inmate after a completed execution has led Tennessee's governor to order a third-party investigation and to halt further executions planned for this year, and the official in charge of executions has resigned. The case leaves open how the state's execution procedure and the drug used will be reviewed, affecting the timing of other executions in the state.
Datos clave
- Christa Pike, 50, survived a lethal injection at a Nashville, Tennessee prison on Sept 30 and regained consciousness on Oct 6, her lawyers said. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Her lawyers said she remains in intensive care, has severe injuries to both arms and is restrained to a bed with handcuffs and shackles. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The lawyers described her recovery as medically unprecedented and said the prognosis is uncertain, though they expect it to be lengthy at minimum. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The Tennessee Department of Correction spokesperson said no information beyond her being hospitalised could be provided. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 killing of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, committed with her boyfriend when Pike was 18, and served about 30 years. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Governor Bill Lee ordered a comprehensive third-party investigation and suspended further executions scheduled this year, and correction commissioner Frank Strada announced his resignation. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap reported the drug administered was pentobarbital, which was adopted for federal executions under the first Trump administration, suspended under the Biden administration and re-approved by the second Trump administration in April. [ 1 ]
Confirmado por varias fuentes
- Christa Pike survived a lethal injection carried out at a Nashville, Tennessee prison on Sept 30 and regained consciousness on Oct 6, according to her lawyers. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Her lawyers said she is still being treated as a critical patient, has severe injuries to both arms and is restrained to her bed with handcuffs and shackles. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The lawyers called the recovery medically unprecedented and said the prognosis is uncertain. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The Tennessee Department of Correction spokesperson said she is hospitalised but declined to provide other information. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Pike was sentenced to death over the 1995 killing of Colleen Slemmer and had served about 30 years. [ 1 , 2 ]
Aún sin aclarar
- Why Pike survived the execution and what this means for the state's execution procedure. Only Yonhap reports the investigation and the suspension of executions, and no document states a cause for her survival.
- Who will conduct the third-party investigation and what it will cover. Single-source: Yonhap reports only that Governor Bill Lee ordered a comprehensive third-party investigation.
- The current condition and long-term outlook for Pike. Her lawyers said the prognosis is uncertain and the correction department gave no medical details.
Qué dicen los medios locales
Cronología, hora local
- Christa Pike is given a lethal injection at a Nashville, Tennessee prison and survives, later being taken to hospital. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Pike regains consciousness and is able to speak, her lawyers say. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Yonhap reports the recovery along with the governor's order for a third-party investigation, the suspension of further executions this year and the corrections chief's resignation. [ 1 ]
- Maeil Business reports the lawyers' statement on Pike's condition and her case history. [ 2 ]