Tennessee Returns Christa Pike to Prison After Failed Execution

Christa Pike has been returned to the Deborah K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center in Nashville after surviving Tennessee's failed lethal injection attempt, her lawyers said Saturday. Pike, 50, had been hospitalized after receiving two doses during the Sept. 30 execution attempt that did not end her life.

Her attorneys said she was discharged from a local hospital and continues receiving medical care in prison. They said Pike regained consciousness, was able to walk with assistance, and was recovering movement and strength.

"Christa Pike was discharged from a local hospital and is now at Deborah K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center where she has been housed for more than 30 years," said Stephen Ferrell, Luke Ihnen, Randy Spivey and Kelly Gleason, Pike's attorneys.

The lawyers said Pike expressed gratitude to emergency responders and medical staff while her recovery continues. The Death Penalty Information Center identifies Pike as the only known person in the U.S. to survive an execution attempt.

Pike was convicted in 1995 of murdering 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer at the University of Tennessee campus. Court records said Pike was 18 at the time of the crime and was assisted by her boyfriend and another person.

Tennessee has not disclosed the exact cause of the failed execution, according to NPR. Republican Gov. Bill Lee paused executions and ordered an independent review of the state's lethal injection protocols after the incident.

The review also raised questions about prison practices under Frank Strada, who resigned as Tennessee's top prison commissioner on Oct. 3. NPR reported that Strada previously held a senior prison role in Arizona, where three lethal injection executions were mishandled.

Retired federal Judge David Duncan reviewed Arizona's executions after being asked by Gov. Katie Hobbs in 2023. He said his review examined more than two dozen boxes of records, interviews with about 50 employees and experts, and prison visits.

"Look up in Wikipedia to see what the appropriate dose should be," said David Duncan, describing a directive reviewed in Arizona records.

Duncan said Arizona's execution drug storage practices created risks. He described a container at the Florence prison that held the drug without clear identification.

"It was in a locked refrigerator in a jar at the Florence prison," said David Duncan, retired federal judge.

"That could be my mother's minestrone soup," said David Duncan, retired federal judge.

Duncan said the container did not show the amount of drug inside, although he estimated it was mostly full.

"mostly filled," said David Duncan, retired federal judge.

Duncan said he asked about expiration records for the drug and was told a document from the compounding pharmacy said there was no expiration date.

"Well, I was supposed to be able to see all of the documents. I don't remember seeing a document about that," said David Duncan, retired federal judge.

"I destroyed," said David Duncan, retired federal judge, recounting the prison official's response.

NPR reported that problems involving transparency extended to execution teams and medical personnel. Duncan described Arizona's procedures as "cloaked in secrecy" during his review.

"cloaked in secrecy," said David Duncan, retired federal judge.

Catherine Sweeney of WPLN News witnessed Pike's execution attempt and described Pike's reaction when the drug was administered.

"She looked at the staff in the room, and she said there's one spot that was burning and hurting," said Catherine Sweeney, reporter for WPLN News.

"She was saying that she felt like her vein was going to burst," said Catherine Sweeney, reporter for WPLN News.

Duncan said Arizona's IV team was made up of corrections employees rather than doctors and lacked relevant experience.

"They were solely selected by the Department of Corrections," said David Duncan, retired federal judge.

"So you're left with people who've essentially not only had never done lethal injection before, but haven't done the most analogous thing to it," said David Duncan, retired federal judge.

Duncan said doctors involved in Arizona executions were paid in cash, and he described the arrangement during his review.

"hundreds of thousands of dollars," said David Duncan, retired federal judge.

"The doctor stands in a separate room that has a window, and it has closed-circuit television and a piece of plastic pipeline that runs from a panel of syringes to the inmate," said David Duncan, retired federal judge.

"They paid him in cash in a brown paper bag," said David Duncan, retired federal judge.

NPR reported Duncan questioned Arizona officials about records related to payments and documentation after reviewing the execution procedures.