After failed execution: Lawyers share details about Christa Pike's health

A week after the failed execution in the US state of Tennessee, lawyers have informed about the health status of the American Christa Pike, who was sentenced to death. The 50-year-old is "still very cognitively confused," said Pike's lawyer Randy Spivey at a press conference after a hearing at the court in Nashville, Tennessee.

Her first words after waking up in the hospital were: “Where am I and who are you?” However, she is aware that the state tried to execute her.

The convicted murderer had a blood clot in one of her arms and could not move either arm. “We don’t know if and to what extent she will regain the function of her arms,” said Spivey. In addition, Pike is suffering from pneumonia and is being fed. She has a long road to recovery ahead of her.

Lawyer: Pike can “speak to a limited extent”

Pike "was unable to communicate with her attorneys or with her medical team" until Tuesday, attorney Luke previously told you at a court hearing on the case in Nashville. Furthermore, she can only “speak to a limited extent”.

Her lawyers expressed surprise that Pike regained consciousness a week after the botched execution. “On Monday evening we assumed that Christa was brain dead and that life support would be switched off the next day,” explained Spivey. To “everyone’s great surprise,” Pike woke up and started speaking.

Previously, Judge I'Ashea Myles had granted Pike's lawyers' request to preserve evidence from last week's attempted execution. This would be relevant should Pike need to challenge a future execution, counsel told them in court. The New York Times points out that her health will likely determine whether another attempt is made to execute Pike at a later date.

Pike survived two doses of pentobarbital

According to the authorities, Pike was given the two doses of the drug pentobarbital specified in the execution protocol on Wednesday evening last week. Yet she continued to live.

Pike was sentenced to death in 1996 for the murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer. She was 18 years old at the time of the crime. Slemmer was tortured and eventually killed in 1995 in a remote area near the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.