Judge orders Tennessee to preserve evidence in Christa Pike's failed execution
Version 2: A judge has now ruled that Tennessee must preserve evidence from the failed execution, where earlier reports only described the attorneys' request and the state's objection; new details also emerged on Pike's condition and on how the drug may have entered her arm rather than her bloodstream.
In short
A Tennessee judge ruled Wednesday that the state must preserve evidence from the failed lethal injection of Christa Pike, who survived two doses of pentobarbital on Sept. 30 and has regained consciousness. Pike, 50, was sentenced to death for the 1995 killing of classmate Colleen Slemmer. Her attorneys say her arms were burned and blistered, her prognosis is unclear, and doctors told NBC News most of the drug appeared to enter her arm rather than her bloodstream.
Read the full story 3 min read
A Tennessee judge ruled Wednesday that the state must preserve evidence from the failed lethal injection of Christa Pike, the death row inmate who survived two doses of pentobarbital last week and has regained consciousness. Chancellor I'Ashea L. Myles ruled in favor of Pike's legal team during a status conference in Nashville, ordering that Tennessee preserve any and all relevant evidence. [ 7 ]
Pike, 50, was injected with two doses of pentobarbital on Sept. 30 at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution as the state attempted to execute her for the 1995 beating and stabbing death of classmate Colleen Slemmer. She is believed to be the only person to survive after lethal injection drugs were administered, according to the accounts. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 ]
Her attorneys said Tuesday that Pike was conscious and speaking after nearly a week in a Nashville-area hospital, where she had been unconscious and on a ventilator for six days. Doctors told NBC News it appeared most of the pentobarbital — the drug used in the lethal injection — entered her arm rather than her bloodstream, having enough power to put her to sleep but not to stop her heart or slow her breathing. The attorneys said her arms were “swollen, burned, and blistered” and that she remained handcuffed to the hospital bed; they described “severe damage” to her arms and said her prognosis remained unclear, with a long recovery expected at a minimum. [ 4 , 7 ]
Pike's lawyers filed an emergency motion Friday seeking to preserve evidence, alleging the Tennessee Department of Correction inflicted “a cruel and unusual punishment” on Pike “through its deliberate indifference to her basic medical needs and reckless disregard of basic medical practices and their own lethal injection protocol.” The motion said those administering the lethal injection attempted to gain IV access using “at least seven needles,” and that “one needle was bent in a 90-degree angle when it was removed.” The attorneys said they first alerted the state about its duty to preserve evidence at 1:09 a.m. ET on Thursday. [ 4 ]
At the hearing, attorney Luke Ihnen said the request was only that evidence be preserved “so that her lawyers, experts, and the public can learn what really happened.” He said the state had made no promises that Pike would not face a future execution, making the evidence relevant to any challenge she makes. Another of Pike's attorneys said Wednesday that she is “speaking limitedly.” [ 7 ]
The Tennessee attorney general's office had argued in a Tuesday court filing that a preservation order was unnecessary because the prison system is “obliged to maintain this evidence in other cases and must assure it is preserved,” and it said state officials had taken “the necessary steps to obtain medical care for Pike and ascertain what occurred.” Republican Gov. Bill Lee called what happened “deeply disturbing” and ordered a “comprehensive, third-party review to determine exactly what occurred,” and he postponed the state's only other execution scheduled for this year. [ 2 , 3 ]
The New York Times reported that Pike's lawyers believe records of her failed execution will show “incompetent and reckless actions,” and Reuters reported that the lawyers are demanding to see syringes and drug residue from the botched execution. [ 5 , 6 ]
Why it matters
The documents describe Pike as believed to be the only person to survive after lethal injection drugs were administered, and her attorneys argue the preserved records are relevant to any future execution attempt. Gov. Bill Lee's order for a third-party review and his postponement of the state's only other execution this year indicate Tennessee is re-examining how it carried out the procedure, while the judge's ruling gives Pike's lawyers access to material they say the public should see.
Key facts
- Christa Pike, 50, survived two doses of pentobarbital in Tennessee's Sept. 30 execution attempt and later regained consciousness. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 ]
- Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 beating and stabbing death of classmate Colleen Slemmer. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 ]
- Pike is believed to be the only person to survive after lethal injection drugs were administered, according to the accounts. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 ]
- A Tennessee judge ruled Wednesday that the state must preserve relevant evidence from the failed execution, including IV materials. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 ]
- Pike's emergency motion alleges those administering the lethal injection tried to gain IV access using “at least seven needles,” and that “one needle was bent in a 90-degree angle when it was removed.” [ 4 ]
- The Tennessee attorney general's office argued a preservation order was unnecessary and said the state had taken steps to obtain medical care for Pike and ascertain what occurred. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Gov. Bill Lee called what happened “deeply disturbing,” ordered a third-party review and postponed the state's only other execution scheduled this year. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Doctors told NBC News most of the pentobarbital appeared to enter Pike's arm rather than her bloodstream, enough to put her to sleep but not to stop her heart or slow her breathing. [ 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Pike survived two doses of pentobarbital in a Sept. 30 execution attempt at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution and later regained consciousness. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 ]
- Pike, 50, was sentenced over the 1995 beating and stabbing death of classmate Colleen Slemmer. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 ]
- Pike's attorneys went to court Wednesday seeking information from the Tennessee Department of Correction and the preservation of execution evidence. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 ]
- The Tennessee attorney general's office told the court a preservation order is unnecessary and said the state has taken steps to obtain medical care for Pike and ascertain what occurred. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Gov. Bill Lee ordered a third-party review and postponed the state's only other execution scheduled this year. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Pike was hospitalized and unconscious on a ventilator for about six days before her attorneys said she was awake and speaking. [ 4 , 7 ]
Still unclear
- Why the execution attempt failed. The documents describe the attempt and its aftermath but state no cause; the passage on medical and lethal injection experts is truncated in the source text.
- What caused most of the drug to enter Pike's arm rather than her bloodstream. This account comes from doctors speaking to NBC News alone, and the documents do not give a definitive explanation.
- Pike's medical prognosis and current condition. Her attorneys said the prognosis remains unclear and expected a long recovery; one attorney said she is “speaking limitedly,” and the documents say they did not disclose what she was saying.
- Whether Pike will face another execution date. Attorney Luke Ihnen said the state has made no promises that she will not be subject to a future execution, according to NBC News.
- Full details of the Reuters and New York Times reports. Those documents were available only as feed summaries, so their specifics could not be read.
- Chancellor I'Ashea L. Myles ruled Wednesday that Tennessee must preserve any and all relevant evidence from the failed execution. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Sept. 30, 2026: Tennessee attempts to execute Christa Pike by lethal injection at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution; the attempt is halted after two doses of pentobarbital. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 ]
- Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026: Pike's attorneys first alert the state about its duty to preserve evidence, according to the emergency motion. [ 4 ]
- Friday, Oct. 2, 2026: Pike's lawyers file an emergency motion seeking preservation of evidence. [ 4 ]
- Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026: Attorneys say Pike is conscious and speaking; the Tennessee attorney general's office files a court filing saying a preservation order is unnecessary. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 ]
- Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026: A status conference and hearing on the motion is scheduled for noon ET in Davidson County Chancery Court in Nashville; the judge rules the state must preserve relevant evidence. [ 4 , 7 ]