Failed execution. Christa Pike regained consciousness

Christa Pike, a 50-year-old American who was sentenced to death in 1995 for the murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, survived an execution attempt. Last Wednesday, she was given two doses of pentobarbital, a drug used in executions, in a Tennessee prison, but she survived. She was taken to a Nashville hospital in critical condition, where she remained unconscious and on a ventilator.

An unprecedented case in US history

According to her lawyers, Pike regained consciousness and is able to speak, but her health condition still requires intensive medical care. Her recovery is medically unprecedented. The prognosis remains unclear, but we expect a long recovery, the lawyers said in a statement. They also thanked the rescuers and hospital staff for their commitment.

According to the BBC, Christa Pike is the first known person in the US to survive execution. The case received wide coverage both in the media and in the legal and medical communities.

What went wrong during the execution?

The reasons for the failed execution are still unknown. Anesthesiologist Joel Zivot, advising Pike's defense attorneys, estimated that two doses of pentobarbital should have resulted in death if the drug had been properly administered into the bloodstream. In his opinion, it is possible that the substance spread only in the subcutaneous tissues, which could have saved the woman's life, but at the same time exposed her to serious injuries, including the risk of brain damage.

The authorities react: suspended executions, resignation from the prison system

Tennessee authorities have not yet explained what exactly led to the execution failure or whether they are planning another attempt. The head of the state prisons announced his resignation, and Gov. Bill Lee decided to suspend all death sentences in the state until the end of the year.