World
Tennessee halts executions after Pike survives 2 lethal injections
BBC News··2 Oct
Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike, 50, is in critical condition after surviving two lethal injection attempts Wednesday, her lawyer Randy Spivey said. Governor Bill Lee halted all executions for the year and ordered an independent review. Pike was sentenced to death in 1996 for murdering Colleen Slemmer. Spivey said the team tried an hour to establish an IV line.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Tennessee has no further executions scheduled this year while Pike's case and the review proceed.
- Witnesses to future executions may face new scrutiny after observers were kept behind a closed curtain.
- Pike's lawyers are asking the governor to commute her sentence after a prior denial.
What's Happening
- Spivey said observers were in a dark room after a second lethal dose when Pike was still breathing.
- Pike was 18 when she and her then-boyfriend beat, tortured and killed 19-year-old Slemmer.
- The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the lethal injections to proceed after a last-minute legal battle.
What Happened Wednesday
- Spivey counted at least seven needles used in Pike's left arm during unsuccessful IV attempts.
- Slemmer's mother May Martinez, who wanted the execution, told NBC News it was a mess.
- Lawyer Stephen Ferrell said they want Pike to recover before deciding next legal steps.
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