US Woman Survives Two Failed Lethal Injections, Hospitalized

American woman survives two lethal injection attempts, now hospitalized in critical condition

October 2

In the US state of Tennessee, a woman sentenced to death was given two doses of lethal injection drugs but did not die, and had to be transported to a hospital, The Guardian news outlet reported.

Christa Pike, 50, was sentenced to death in 1996 for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer. She was reportedly only 18 years old at the time of the crime.

On September 30, Christa Pike was administered Pentobarbital twice for her execution, but she did not die and remained alive, forcing the execution process to be halted and her to be transported to a hospital by emergency ambulance. Pike's lawyers said she is currently receiving emergency intensive care and that her condition is critical.

Regarding this incident, Christa Pike's lawyers criticized the state government for violating her constitutional right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment, saying the action caused the inmate to suffer severe pain.

Before this execution, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals had issued a last-minute temporary stay of Christa Pike's execution, but the US Supreme Court lifted the temporary stay, after which the execution proceeded, according to reports.

Pike's lawyers have reportedly appealed for consideration of the sexual and physical abuse and neglect she suffered during childhood, as well as her mental health conditions.

Due to this incident, the Tennessee governor has reportedly temporarily suspended remaining executions in 2026 and ordered a review of the incident.

If Christa Pike's execution had been successful, she would have become the first woman executed in Tennessee in more than 200 years, according to reports.

Ref & Photo: The Guardian

MyoTaw News Channel