Convicted murderer Christa Pike unconscious in hospital after failed execution

Convicted murderer Christa Pike remains unconscious five days after a failed execution attempt. A prognosis on the 50-year-old's condition may not be available for a few days, said one of her lawyers. Pike is currently being treated in hospital and is being kept alive on artificial respiration.

Last Wednesday, Pike was given two doses of the drug pentobarbital. However, the planned execution by lethal injection failed and Pike survived. According to her lawyers, she suffered burns to her arms. Accordingly, the lethal injection is said to have been administered incorrectly: it took an hour to establish the intravenous access and a needle was badly bent in the process. Presumably some of the poison got into the surrounding tissue instead of a vein.

Pike is under guard in the hospital as doctors try to remove the drug from her body. Her attorney, Stephan Ferrell, said he didn't know whether she regained consciousness at any point. Decisions about her medical treatment would be made by another person.

This article will continue to be updated.